Marathon Petroleum Refinery Fire in Texas City: Shelter-in-Place Lifted

Refinery Fire and Shelter-in-Place Order

• 🚨 A fire broke out at the Marathon Petroleum refinery in Texas City, prompting an immediate shelter-in-place order for a significant area.
• 🏠 Residents within the affected zone, stretching from 29th Street to Bay Street, were instructed to stay indoors, close windows and doors, and turn off air conditioning.
• 🗺️ The shelter-in-place covered approximately 7.5 to 8 square miles, encompassing residential areas, businesses, and Texas City High School.

Response and Safety Measures

• 🚒 Trained teams from Marathon Petroleum responded to the incident at the Galveston Bay refinery.
• ⚠️ As a precaution, air monitoring was deployed in the community, with the safety of responders, workers, and residents being the top priority.
• 🚫 Initially, there were concerns about calm winds potentially settling smoke in populated areas, but officials later noted the possibility of gusty conditions.

Incident Update and Lifting of Order

• ✅ Marathon Petroleum stated that all personnel were accounted for and there were no reported injuries.
• 💨 Viewer-submitted videos showed thick black smoke initially, which later lightened, and white smoke was observed, often considered a positive sign in refinery fires.
• 📢 Breaking news confirmed that the shelter-in-place order was lifted, allowing residents to resume normal activities and turn their air conditioning back on.
• 📰 The company reported that the fire was under control, and air monitoring continued as a precautionary measure.