A massive fire broke out in March 2019 at Intercontinental Terminals Company’s facility in Deer Park. It spread to almost a dozen other tanks, and a plume of smoke lingered over the Houston skyline for three days.
During the fire, residents in Deer Park were forced to shelter in place due to the hazards of the air pollution. In the aftermath, millions of gallons of hazardous waste spilled and leaked into the water.
Now, two years after the massive Deer Park fire, Texas is close to passing new safety rules for the industry.
The Texas legislature is close to approving Senate Bill 900, which was authored by Sen. Carol Alvarado, a democrat from Houston. If approved, the bill will create new standards on the type of tanks that put so many people in danger in 2019.
Senate Bill 900 has passed both chambers, but small changes need to be made before it’s sent to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
Source: Houston Public Media, “2 Years After Disastrous Deer Park Chemical Fire, Texas Close To Creating New Safety Rules For Industry,” by Erin Douglas, May 24, 2021