Chemical plant explosion in Shepherd, investigation and air monitoring continues

Shepherd, TX - The air is still being monitored in Shepherd after that chemical plant explosion Wednesday in San Jacinto County, where some residents are still concerned about air and water.

FULL DETAILS: Shepherd chemical plant fire on FM 1127 in San Jacinto County contained, 1 employee injured

After visiting the area, it's clear, the closer you get to Sound Resource Solutions where the explosion happened, the stronger the smell and one family who lives right next door says something as simple as breathing has become a chore.

"When I walked out and found the smoke coming over our house, I'm like I took in a breath of air and instantly my throat starts to like to burn," explains Shepherd resident Charlotte See. 

Since that Wednesday morning chemical plant explosion erupted into ferocious flames and billowing black smoke See says she's been sick. "I've had a headache all night. It's still the nagging cough, nausea, feeling sick to my stomach and I just came from my doctor's appointment, and he was a little concerned". 

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has two air monitoring vans driving in the area. "Stretching a 5-to-10-mile radius, and we're doing handheld air monitoring off the site to ensure the communities around the facility are safe from any of the chemicals that remain," explains Ryan Vise with TCEQ. 

Many residents who live near the now burned-out facility get their water from a well, including the See family. They live next door to Sound Resource Solutions, which, ahead of the rain, built dirt berms to keep runoff on the property.

"Our main priority right now is to ensure those materials and products that did not burn stay onsite, as we have the weather coming in," Vise adds, but that doesn't make See feel more comfortable.

"Not at all. Absolutely not. I'm sure the overflow will just overflow and absorb into the ground. We're sharing the same ground with this company. So it could just easily absorb and be in our water system. This is very upsetting," says See.

The explosion was caused after a worker saw a container leaking chemicals and tried to move it with a forklift. ATF is now investigating.

"They did inform me they do not believe anything criminal happened during this incident," explains Emmitt Eldridge with San Jacinto County Office of Emergency Management. 

TCEQ says "air detection levels have not hit a level of concern". We're still waiting on word from ATF to find out exactly what chemicals were burning.

We're told the Sound Resource Solutions employee whose face and arms were burned in the fire is still in the hospital.