fighting that fire 97 to 100
out there. All right. The news
starts now at 4.
>> KPRC, 2 news begins right
now with breaking news.
>> And we do continue on at
this hour with this breaking
news out of Deer Park so far.
Here is what we are learning.
An industrial plant fire in
the area at Highway 2.25, and C
s center street. What Port
Office of Emergency Management
saying on Twitter this
afternoon that they are
actively monitoring the fire
north of to 25 in Deer Park.
>> We And they say that they’ve
been in contact with the Deer
Park personnel. There are no
impacts are to be in the report
due to wind speed. We also know
that school district now a lot
of people worried about maybe
the students as they’re
beginning to let out. And we do
know they are everything’s fine
because the wind is not blowing
in the school’s direction.
So they are letting out normal
and we can confirm this is
happening at the Shell refinery
plant. There was some confusion
earlier, but this is at Shell.
Let’s check in right now with
KPRC two’s.
>> Rachel in that area with
what she’s seeing, Rachel.
>> Just arrived on scene a few
minutes ago. Take a look at
how massive this fire is.
You can see smoke black, thick,
black smoke. Well, owing into
the air just into the distance
is where you can see some of
those flames. As you guys
mentioned, this fire, many
crews are out here trying to
make sure this fire stays under
control. On our drive down
here. We saw several emergency
vehicles trying to get here
safely. We saw several file
fire departments and officials
from the Harris County
Sheriff’s Office. We have been
in contact what the sheriff’s
office as well as Deer Park and
Harris County Emergency
Management trying to get more
information on what may have
caused this fire. This is
happening at the shell plant
here in Deer Park. We are not
sure what chemicals may be
burning or may be released in
the air. I can tell you that
my photo journalist and I are
in a safe spot. We are away
from the fire is blowing in the
opposite direction. But it’s
right mention it’s very hot out
here and you can actually feel
the temperatures around us.
It’s it’s it’s significantly
hot. But again, we’re still
waiting to learn more
information from officials.
We know that the school was
also dismissed a few minutes
ago, but we will continue to
stay on top of this. But again,
we’re at the shale plant in
Deer Park. And there’s a large
industrial fire. You can see
huge, big black smoke in the
air. This has been going on for
at least 30 minutes. So as soon
as we hear more information
will be sure to keep you posted
for now reporting live in Deer
Park. I’m re’chelle Turner
KPRC. 2 news show this just to
get a note on traffic in that
area. We know you left our
station here in southwest
Houston.
>> I heading on the east on the
beltway up to 2.25. were there
areas that were cordoned off
the traffic? What can you tell
us about the commute in that
area?
>> So traffic was bumper to
bumper, trying to get down here
from people trying to stop on
the side of the road to try
to get video. It a little
chaotic. So if you are heading
in this direction, you may want
to find a different route
because officials are blocking
off parts of the road. There
are several emergency crews
out here on the other side.
And you just may want to find a
different with different route.
And with rush hour coming up,
it’s really going to be kind
of a hectic right now. You can
see behind things are are
running very smoothly, not much
of a traffic jam right now.
But earlier today, it a little
bit of a headache because
people were, you know, trying
to get to us. Maybe school are
our get back home to work and
out. But yet we just it looks
good right now. But you
definitely want to find a
different route.
>> We’ll show you mentioned
emergency crews in and seeing
them come that way. From our
vantage point, we see about
3 fire on this massive fire.
Can you see from where you are?
How many fire trucks are there?
How many crews are working?
>> From where we’re standing
at. We’re just all Sidor
Street. But if you if we can to
take a look down this way you
guys can’t see very much.
But there
is several a police car’s
Harris County deputies, Deer
Park police as well as
emergency management. But we
did see crews going in on the
other side this highway.
We saw them with fire trucks I
don’t know if you guys can see
it from right here. But you can
kind of see where the flames
we are going up into the air
right behind those big I
structures at that plant.
And we actually got some really
good video that on our way down
But we have seen several crews
out here from Harris County to
Deer Park assisting with this
fire.
>> It leaves we some progress.
There was some white smoke.
You know, 30 minutes ago was
all very, very dense. Thick
blocked up blooms and we see
some white smoke behind you,
Rachel. We know the immediate
concern is to knock this fire
out. But in terms of air
quality because if you live in
this area, you are wondering
why say this, my family safe,
do you? What does it smell like
there? Can you pick up on
anything?
>> So right now it’s not much
of a smail in the air. We
thought we smelled sulfur on
the way down here, but now it’s
kind of disappeared or kind of
went away. We’re not exactly
sure what is blowing in the but
it is you can tell it’s a bit
of a haze in the sky and it’s
the heat. The heat that we’re
experiencing today is making it
much hotter from those flames
and the smoke. So I would
caution people to if you are
in this area to stay inside
until we learn more about what
is being released in the air,
what is burning all just to be
on the safe side. But for now
they have my photographer.
We are doing okay. We don’t
smell anything. It’s no
burning. You know, nothing
feels strange is just really
high. And it’s really loud from
this facility. I know you guys
probably get here but is
extremely loud and the smoke.
I don’t see much of a white
smoke. I see more of black
smoke.
And right now I’m trying to
see if I see any type of water
or treatment being sprayed into
the air from where we’re at the
try to get the the smoke and
some of the flames under
control. You can certainly hear
it. But from where we’re
standing, not so see it.
So, you know, it’s it’s making
its way into the air. It’s
really black, really thick
smoke. But right now, we don’t
know what kind of chemicals are
are being released into the
or how this may affect people
who are driving or standing out
here. But we are I will say
we are in a safe spot where we
are not being harmed by this by
this by this fire.
We’re show show is confirming
that it is their refinery
that’s on fire right now.
So we do know that we’re
learning.
>> New information minute by
minute. It seems from our from
what we’re seeing from sky to
show we see the flames. But it
doesn’t look like you can see
it from the side of that.
The freeways that what you’re
saying, can you can you see
flames there?
>> Let’s say so. I’m going to
have photo journalist Vladimir
Market tried of us trying to
sell man right there this
circular tight structure.
You can see some of the active
flames that’s still going on.
So we did see crews on the
other side trying to get
they’re trying to get to that
fire. But yes, we do see some
type of flames coming from a
small or a large structure
behind that the infirmary.
>> Hi, Rachel Turner reporting.
Go ahead. I’m sorry.
Okay. You know, you’ve got to
find out just saying right now
it’s it’s like a waiting game.
Like you said, we’re getting.
>> New information by the
minute. And I’m I’m constantly
checking in with the Sheriff’s
Office of Emergency Management
officials trying to see what
the newest information is.
And as soon as we get that
information, I will be sure to
let you guys know. But right
now I can tell you that several
crews are out here trying to
battle this large
fire. There’s thick smoke and
in the air. So we’ll be sure
to keep you posted as soon as
we get any new information.
Lisa, Candice.
>> Yeah, we appreciate you
being out there as we wait to
to hear what exactly is a
burning, what the status of the
air quality is. Again, Michelle
Turner live there in Deer Park.
I’m front of that across the
freeway from that Shell
refinery that is on fire right
now. You can see the plumes
of smoke in transtar shot to
25 here at East Boulevard.
And as you saw in live shot,
the black plumes of smoke, at
least have fraction of that
looks to be a little bit
lighter, which means we’re
getting a lot of water on this
and making some progress.
But clearly a lot more work to
be done. It’s unclear again
what caused this explosion we
do know is that the show
refinery that’s been confirmed.
Can you imagine driving this
way and seeing all this black
smoke in the in the sky, not
knowing what’s going on if you
live in this area or possibly
know someone who works in this
refinery area. A lot of concern
is always a scary time when
these happen.
>> As you can see what the
traffic here doesn’t look like
the set of the fires impeding
the flow. But as we heard from
Michelle Turner as she and her
photographer headed east to
get to this, she did say please