Emergency crews on Friday were responding to an explosion and fire near the Port of Corpus Christi that resulted in several injuries, according to local officials, Reuters reported.
The fire occurred this morning in an area referred to as “refinery row,” due to its proximity to several refining facilities, according to a spokeswoman for the Corpus Christi fire department. It was not immediately clear who owns or operates the infrastructure that caught on fire.
Corpus Christi Fire Department Deputy Chief Billy Breedlove said a barge hit a pipeline which resulted in an explosion, according to Caller Times.
KRIS TV reports that the new underwater pipeline ruptured at the barge loading dock, and the owner of the barge said multiple employees were working at the site at the time of the explosion. The fire engulfed the barge and then spread from the pipeline to a grain elevator, according to the report.
The explosion was reported around 8 a.m. near Nueces Bay, according to the Associated Press.
Corpus Christi Fire Chief Robert Rocha said that four people were taken to a hospital by the Corpus Christi Fire Department, and two more people were transported to a hospital by Coast Guard.
Corpus Christi is home to a number of oil refineries and shipping ports, and has become an important exporting locale for crude oil. Valero on Friday said operations at its refinery were normal.
Reporting by Liz Hampton and Jennifer Hiller; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama
