Houston Channel Reopens after Refinery Explosion

The Houston Ship Channel has been reopened after a precautionary safety zone had been put in place due to an explosion at a refinery company Pasadena Refining System, the US Coast Guard informs.

The incident, which occurred on Saturday morning, led to a stoppage of traffic from Cotton Patch Bayou to Sims Bayou.

The Captain of the Port closed the channel at 10:40 a.m., until coast guard hazmat teams were able to investigate the scene for any impact from possible chemical release in the air or any impact on the waterways.

According to the coast guard, the fire at the scene has been extinguished and air monitoring has been conducted by Pasadena Refining and Harris County Pollution Control, with no indications of any offsite impacts.

Relevant authorities are conducting an investigation into the cause of the explosion.