Texas City lifted shelter-in-place following chemical release at Marathon Galveston Bay refinery
TEXAS CITY - NEW UPDATES RELEASED AT 12:38PM
The City of Texas City has lifted the shelter in place that was issued for the south area of the refinery. Officials say no injuries were reported.
Refinery officials announced emissions have returned to normal levels from the temporary increase in sulfur dioxide.
The roadways in the area are now open, and air monitoring readings have returned to normal, according to City of Texas officials.
NEW UPDATES RELEASED AT 10:35AM
An equipment malfunction at Marathon Petroleum's Galveston Bay Refinery has increased the chemical, sulfur dioxide, emissions temporarily, according to city officials.
So far, there haven't been any injuries. Authorities say shelter-in-place orders remain in place while air monitoring experts investigate the area.
Officials suggest checking the City of Houston's social media accounts for precise information on the impacted zones.
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Several areas of Texas City were ordered to remain inside their homes on Sunday following a chemical release from the Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery.
An order was issued around 9:15 a.m., affecting the area south of the Marathon GBR to Texas City.
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Here are the roads that are affected by shelter in place:
- Loop 197 at SH-146 (197 is blocked)
- 519 at SH-146 (519 is blocked)
- 4th Avenue S at Loop 197 (Loop 197 is blocked)
Texas City officials have advised residents to shelter indoors with heat and air conditioning turned off and doors and windows closed. They have also asked individuals to avoid driving in the affected area.
If you live in the affected area, it is recommended you stay indoors until further notice. We will continue to update this story as new information becomes available.