Texas rail car fire out; 4 minor injuries

FREEPORT, Texas, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- A rail car loaded with a compound used to manufacture nylon exploded and burned Friday at the BASF Corp. chemical plant at Freeport, causing minor injuries to four workers, company officials said.

The explosion, which could be felt as far away as 50 miles, according to some witnesses, forced the evacuation of about 500 non-essential workers at the BASF site. Residents downwind were advised to stay indoors until a site clean-up was completed.

Employees were working on the rail car loaded with cyclohexanone oxime when a chemical release was reported from the car about 9:10 a.m. The immediate area was evacuated 10 minutes later and the explosion occurred about 9:30 a.m., the company said.

Three adjacent plants were shut down after the explosion, said BASF spokesman Jonathan Evans. There are 16 plants on the 500-acre BASF site that make a wide range of products, including nylon, textiles and adhesives.

BASF spokesman Jonathan Edwards told United Press International four individuals received minor injuries such as cuts and bruises but there were no serious injuries. The plant was evacuated and some nearby residents were ordered to remain in their homes because of air quality concerns.

Earlier reports indicated the rail car was carrying ammonia, which could have created a deadly cloud of ammonia gas, but Edwards said these reports were inaccurate and the car contained cyclohexanone oxime, a chemical used in the manufacture of nylon.

Edwards declined to comment on the health effects of cyclohexanone oxime, only saying, "Residents immediately downwind have been advised to stay inddors as a precautionary step."

The company issued a wrriten statement saying "there is no danger to the community."

The company was investigating the cause of the explosion.

Mike Ellis, director of the Southeast Texas Poison Center, said that little is known about the effects of cyclohexanone oxime on humans.

Feeding experiments in rats indicate that it does not seem to cause any problems for at least a couple of weeks, but it's not certain if it is dangerous to humans, Ellis said.

Freeport Police Chief Henrietta Gonzalez said the fire was under control and firefighters would continue to monitor the situation through the day.

"We will also continue watching to see if the wind changes direction," she said.

The force of the explosion was heard at least 50 miles away, according to witnesses.

"It just sounded like the city blew up," Lake Jackson resident Earlene Wright told KTRK-TV in Houston.

(Reported by UPI medical correspondent Steve Mitchell in Washington and Phil Magers in Dallas.)