Mysterious blast at Chevron plant shakes pollution-weary Texas town

[xchrom]

http://grist.org/list/mysterious-blast-at-chevron-plant-shakes-pollution-weary-texas-town/

?w=470&h=265&crop=1

A yet-to-be-explained explosion at a Chevron Phillips chemical plant in Port Arthur, Texas, last night has the community in a bit of an uproar, judging by Facebook updates I’ve been collecting throughout the day. Chevron referred to it as a “localized fire,” in its statement to the media. Whatever the label, it injured two of the plant’s workers, and badly enough that highway traffic was stopped so a medical helicopter could come take one to the hospital.

Hilton Kelley, the Port Arthur environmental justice activist who won the prestigious Goldman Prize in 2011, got as close to the scene as possible to take pictures of the fires. “These events are very common in this community (where) thousands of pounds of dangerous toxins are released when these emission events [sic] happen,” he wrote on his Facebook page, where he posted the pics.

[littlemissmartypants]

1. Kicking. Thank you. nt

[intaglio]

2. k&r

[Divernan]

3. "Localized fire"?!?!?! Gimme a break!

Like Chevron controls the winds blowing the toxins for miles?

[Grey]

4. K&R