Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for Texas residents within a one-mile radius of a chemical plant fire Wednesday.
A large plume of smoke could be seen in video captured by residents as the plant caught fire in Shepherd, Texas, which is about 50 miles northeast of Houston.
Authorities said diesel and possibly turpentine are fueling the fire. About 20 people were reportedly working at the plant when the explosion occurred. One individual suffered minor burns, officials said.
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The San Jacinto County Office of Emergency Management said in a statement that a private school in the area had been evacuated and that Highway 59 was closed due to the fire.
Local authorities warned residents to shelter in place and to shut off their HVAC air conditioning systems. The Polk County Sheriff's Office shared on Facebook that the plume could be heading toward the Livingston area.
“At this time, the effects of the chemical in the air are unknown,” the Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.
