HUMBLE, Texas – Four people were injured in an industrial accident Tuesday in Humble, according to the Humble Police Department.
Police said the accident happened at the Lightning Rod and Pipe business at 1250 Indiana Street and Wilson Road.
Officials said it was not an explosion. KPRC 2 was told three people suffered burns. One person was taken to a hospital by LifeFlight and two others were taken by ambulance. Their condition is unknown at this time.
"Sick to my stomach. We are immediately concerned for the employees and glad to hear they are conscious and three of them are being released and we are headed to the hospital now to check them," manager LJ Gilliotte said.
Authorities said one person was treated and released at the scene.
A Lightning Rod and Pipe employee said the victims were burned by a hot plastic material that the company manufactures and the accident is not a threat to the public.
"They determined a machine that melts plastic pellets and is molded into pipe actually had clogged up and four workers attempted to open the machine. When they did the melted plastic spewed out of the machine,” Ken Theis, of the Humble Police Department, said.
Harris County HazMat crews are on the scene.
"It doesn't appear that they had masks on," Theis said.
The names of those involved haven’t been released.
The owner of the business said he doesn't know when the company will reopen because he only has four employees, and they were all injured Tuesday.