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Texas, U.S. reach $6.6 million settlement over 2019 Deer Park chemical fire

Attorney General Ken Paxton said the settlement will reimburse the state and feds for damages to natural resources.

By Elena Bruess, Houston Landing
Firefighters struggle to extinguish the towering flames pouring out of ITC’s tank 80-8 on the afternoon of March 17, 2019. The fire would blow through the entire “2nd 80’s” section of the facility.
Firefighters struggle to extinguish towering flames pouring out of ITC’s tank 80-8 on March 17, 2019. The fire sent a massive plume of black smoke over the Houston area and burned for days before it was extinguished. Credit: Courtesy of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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The State of Texas and the United States reached a $6.6 million settlement Tuesday over the March 2019 Intercontinental Terminals Co. facility fire in Deer Park that released plumes of hazardous chemicals into the air and water for days.

"I'm pleased we were able to secure this natural resource damages settlement after the serious destruction caused by the fire at Deer Park," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said. "This fire burned for three days, spewing hazardous chemicals into our air, water and land."

The ITC tank farm fire prompted a shelter-in-place order for Deer Park and forced schools and businesses to close. It caused millions of dollars of property damage and elevated levels of benzene in the air.

In an investigation published by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board in July, the agency found that leaking chemicals accumulated in the above-ground storage tank for nearly 30 minutes before igniting.

The fire then spread to the surrounding 14 tanks in the same area. Chemicals spilled into the Tucker Bayou and surrounding waterways, including the Houston Ship Channel. The disaster caused significant damage to the marsh, riparian areas and birds.

The $6.6 million will be used to compensate for any damage to natural resources and agency costs. The state's environmental enforcement suit against ITC is still pending, according to Paxton.

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Elena Bruess

HOUSTON LANDING

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