Pemex Deer Park reports hydrogen sulfide release, 2 dead, dozens affected

DEER PARK, Texas – A chemical release caused two deaths at PEMEX Deer Park Thursday evening, authorities said.

Initial information from Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said an unknown chemical release had occurred at the refinery. It was later reported that it was hydrogen sulfide.

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Officials said two people were killed and several others were injured in the incident.

UPDATE AT 9:30 p.m

Officials have confirmed that the shelter-in-place order at Deer Park has been lifted by officials because there are no apparent concerns about hydrogen sulfide levels in the air.

However, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez confirmed that at least two people died at the scene.

Gonzalez said about 35 employees were triaged on site or were either taken to the hospital, but they are working to confirm the number of workers triaged on site.

It may take seven to eight hours or even a night to complete the entire assessment.

Gonzalez said preliminary information indicated workers were working on some type of flange when a hydrogen sulfide gas leak occurred.

Officials confirmed no one could be rescued after preliminary reports that a helicopter had been called to the scene. However, the helicopters were only put on standby.

UPDATE AT 8:58 p.m

PEMEX has released a statement regarding the incident at PEMEX Deer Park:

“Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) reports that at 4:40 p.m. a sour gas leak was reported in one of the process units of the Deer Park refinery in Texas, USA. The emergency protocols were immediately activated and the refinery's emergency response center and the relevant reports were sent to the local authorities. To mitigate the impact, the operations of the coking and hydrotreatment units were proactively stopped and safety vents were also carried out, notifying the authorities under the mechanisms indicated In the protocol, we are aware of five affected workers who are being treated and the death of two other people still needs to be confirmed. No appropriate investigations are being carried out to find out the causes of the accident and work is being carried out to reactivate the facilities.”

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued a statement on X, saying: “I am aware of the chemical leak at the PEMEX plant in Deer Park. There are currently reports of at least one death and several injuries at the plant, and my condolences go out to their families and loved ones. Den Harris.” The County Fire Marshal's Office and Harris County Pollution Control Services are on scene to assist and monitor the air.

Our Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management is available to provide any additional assistance requested. Our primary concern is to ensure that the leak has been stopped and that the spilled materials do not impact county residents. We will send further updates as we receive them.”

Shelter issued on site

The city of Pasadena said on social media that hydrogen sulfide had been released at the plant and that the Pasadena Fire Department had ordered a shelter-in-place for all areas north of Spencer Highway in the Pasadena metropolitan area. However, the shelter-in-place order has been lifted in Pasadena.

However, the City of Deer Park has set up a shelter for all Deer Park residents for several hours. But it was lifted Thursday night around 9:30 p.m.

Officials said the incident is currently being contained at the PEMEX facility.

There is no threat to the community, officials said.

What is hydrogen sulfide?

Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, highly toxic and flammable gas with a characteristic foul odor that is often described as smelling like rotten eggs, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The gas occurs naturally in various environments, particularly in areas where organic material is decomposed, such as sewers, oil and gas wells, and manure pits.

It is also used or can be produced in various industries such as oil and gas refining, mining and petroleum refining, natural gas production, and wastewater treatment.

HISTORY OF THE INSTITUTION

This is not the first time first responders have been called to this location.

In May 2023, an explosion occurred in a grenade facility. It was unclear who owned the facility at the time.

The Shell chemical plant and the PEMEX plant are located next to each other. They own and operate their own units and properties.

In March 2024 there was another fire, namely in the PEMEX facility.

SOME RESIDENTS NOT INFORMED OF THE INCIDENT

The City of Deer Park reported that its emergency notification system was experiencing technical issues with CodeRED. Therefore, some residents may not have received notification of the incident when it occurred.

On Friday morning, Deer Park's OEM announced this update:

Last night, the City of Deer Park's Emergency Alert System (CodeRED) experienced technical difficulties with its online notification tool. Employees worked diligently to find a solution to send notifications through the system and eventually had to use their support phone number to send notifications.

Residents received notifications with incorrect spelling/grammar and may have received duplicate notifications and/or no notification. This was a technical issue in the CodeRED system. We are working with CodeRED to address these technical issues.