Houston Chemical Disaster Zone Remains No-Go Two Weeks After Blaze

Plumes of cancer-causing benzene continue to erupt at site
Historic re-enactment of 1836 Battle of San Jacinto canceled

Emergency crews douse what’s left of the now-extinguished petrochemical tank fire on March 20.Photographer: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP Photo

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By Joe Carroll and Kevin Crowley

March 31, 2019 at 4:00 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Two weeks after a chemical storage complex near Houston erupted in flames and menaced tens of thousands of people with dangerous fumes, the site remains too hazardous for investigators to approach.

Intercontinental Terminal Co. is still trying to drain millions of gallons of volatile oil byproducts from tanks damaged in the four-day blaze that began on March 17. The ground around the tanks is also saturated in dangerous fluids, severely restricting access to the facility 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of downtown Houston. On Friday, the company said they may be able to allow some access early this week.