A massive fire broke out Thursday afternoon at a petrochemical facility on the outskirts of Beaumont, sending a thick plume of black smoke visible for miles and prompting emergency officials to order the evacuation of four nearby residential neighborhoods as hazmat teams rushed to the scene.
The blaze ignited around 1:45 p.m. at the Pelican Refining and Chemical complex on Highway 105 east of the city. Jefferson County emergency management officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for approximately 2,200 residents living within a one-mile radius of the facility, urging those further away to shelter in place and keep windows and doors closed.
“We are asking residents in the affected zones to leave immediately and head to the designated shelter at the Beaumont Civic Center,” said Jefferson County Emergency Management Coordinator Ray Fontaine. “We do not yet know the full composition of the smoke, and we are taking a precautionary approach to protect public health.”
More than 80 firefighters from Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange County responded to the scene. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality crews were also dispatched to monitor air quality in surrounding areas, and the agency set up monitoring stations at several points downwind of the facility.
Witnesses described hearing a series of explosions before seeing flames shoot above the facility’s tank farm. “I was at work about two miles away and the ground shook,” said Darnell Hughes, a resident of the Pear Orchard subdivision. “By the time I stepped outside, the whole sky to the east was black.”
Three plant workers were transported to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital with burn injuries. Hospital officials described two of the injuries as serious but not life-threatening. A third worker was treated and released. No firefighters were reported injured as of early evening.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, with state fire marshal officials joining the scene by mid-afternoon. Officials said it was too early to determine what triggered the initial explosion, though they noted that the facility handles a range of flammable hydrocarbons and chemical solvents.
Interstate 10 eastbound was shut down for several hours as a precaution, creating significant traffic backups. The Texas Department of Transportation redirected commercial truck traffic through alternate routes, though delays stretched for more than 20 miles in both directions at the height of the incident.
Local schools in the evacuation zone released students early and parents were urged to pick up children from designated reunification sites rather than returning to their homes. The Beaumont Independent School District activated its emergency notification system to guide families through the process.
By Thursday evening, firefighters had knocked down the primary blaze but were continuing to battle hot spots and monitor storage tanks for additional risk. Officials said it was unclear when residents in mandatory evacuation zones would be allowed to return, and warned that the situation could remain fluid into Friday.
State Senator Patricia Morales, whose district includes Beaumont, said she had been in contact with state emergency management officials and would be pushing for a full investigation into safety practices at the facility. “The health and safety of Beaumont residents is the absolute priority right now,” she said in a statement. “Once people are safe, there will be a thorough accounting of how this happened.”
Residents seeking information were directed to call the Jefferson County emergency hotline or monitor the county’s official social media channels for updates on evacuation zones, air quality readings, and shelter availability.
