LA PORTE, Texas – A small propylene release was reported at the Braskem Facility in La Porte Thursday afternoon.
The facility, which is located at 8811 Strang Road, warned residents about seeing a heightened number of emergency vehicles responding to the incident.
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Local officials are working with the facility to resolve the issues.
The facility did not say if anyone was injured during the release or if it’s a threat to the residents in the area.
The Braskem Facility, which was opened in 2020, produces polypropylene, also known as polypropene, which is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications.
According to the National Library of Medicine, propylene is a “colorless gas with a faint petroleum-like odor. It is shipped as a liquefied gas under its own vapor pressure. For transportation, it may be stenched. Contact with the liquid can cause frostbite. It is easily ignited. The vapors are heavier than air. Any leak can either be liquid or vapor. It can asphyxiate by the displacement of air. Under prolonged exposure to fire or intense heat the containers may rupture violently and rocket. It is used to make other chemicals. Can cause an explosion.”
This is a developing story, continue to check back for more details.