CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Seven people were injured in an oil storage tank explosion at the Magellan plant in Corpus Christi, according to the Corpus Christi Fire Department.
Officials held a press conference Saturday afternoon on the incident. The explosion happened just after 10 a.m. at the Magellan oil refinery, located in the 1800 block of Poth Lane.
Firefighters and first responders found heavy fire and smoke upon arrival. The flames were just 150 yards away from the main road, according to officials.
Seven people were injured in the incident, with four of them in critical condition. One of the victims was taken to a burn center in San Antonio as well, according to CCFD.
You can watch the city’s press briefing below:
Emergency Press BriefingThe City of Corpus Christi and Nueces County are hosting a joint news conference to brief the public on the Magellan Explosion near Poth Lane and Gibson Street. How to Watch: 👍 facebook.com/citygov ▶️ youtube.com/CCTVCorpusChristi 🌐 www.cctexas.com/cctv 📺 CCTV: Spectrum Ch. 1300, Grande Ch. 20, AT&T Uverse Ch. 99Emergency Press Briefing
Posted by City of Corpus Christi - Government on Saturday, December 5, 2020
Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement on the incident and said the state is aiding Corpus Christi officials in their emergency response efforts. You can read the full statement below:
“The State of Texas is working closely with Magellan and Corpus Christi officials to aid in the emergency response efforts and to provide immediate help to those injured in the explosion. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is monitoring air quality in the area, and the Texas Division Of Emergency Management is on the ground to provide support. The Texas Department of Public Safety is also working to provide assistance to first responders on the ground. The state is ready to deploy additional resources to respond to this event and keep the community safe. Cecilia and I ask all Texans join us in prayer for those injured in this explosion, for our first responders, and for the safety of those in the area.”
Residents in the immediate area were ordered to shelter in place for a few hours as fire crews worked to extinguish the flames early Saturday. As of around 11:48 a.m., the order was lifted.
It’s unclear what caused the tank explosion at this time.
11:48 am update: The shelter in place for the immediate area around Poth Street has been lifted, the fire has been...
Posted by Corpus Christi Police Department on Saturday, December 5, 2020
This is a developing story and we’ll bring more details as they become available.