Fire On A Tanker Shuts Houston Ship Channel Temporarily

The Chemical tanker, which was moored outside the Targa LPG export terminal, caught fire early on Monday.  The fire incident prompted nearly three-hour shutdown of a two-mile-long (3.20-km-long) section of the largest petrochemical port in the United States.

It was initially a big fire that was extinguished in 90 minutes.  The channel was reopened after another 90 minutes as the firefighters monitored the air to ensure no toxic fumes lingered.

The shutdown halted three outbound ships and one inbound tugboat and barge.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Andrew Kendrick said.  “Initially, it was a big fire, but it came down pretty quickly,” He confirmed that the tanker was loading ethylene when the fire started, and there were no reports of injuries.

Source: Reuters

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