A fiery explosion at a chemical plant in east Texas on Wednesday sent a plume of smoke over the area as residents were asked to shelter in place, officials said.
Officials in San Jacinto County said people should avoid the plant in Shepherd, Texas, a city of just over 2,000 people. The cause of the explosion was not immediately known.
San Jacinto Office of Emergency Management said residents in a 5-mile radius should shelter in place and that a private school near the plant had been safely evacuated.
In nearby Polk County, emergency management officials told residents along Highway 59 between Goodrich and Leggett to shelter in place and turn off HVAC systems in homes and businesses. Officials said the smoke plume seemed to be headed toward Livingston, Texas.
