People in downtown Texas City have been told to shelter in place as officials monitor a plant fire at the Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery.
At 10:12 a.m., the city announced on social media that people between 14th Street and 34th Street should shelter in place while air quality testing in conducted. Officials described the order as a being made out of an “abundance of caution.”
The area included in the shelter-in-place order includes Texas City City Hall and Texas City High School.
An initial shelter in place was called at 10:04 a.m. and included a wider area of the area.
Officials told i45Now that the order was prompted by a small fire inside the refinery, near 5th Avenue South, just before 10 a.m. The fire produced a black plume of smoke. At 10:36 a.m., the city advised people to continue to remain indoors to avoid the plume of smoke.
No injuries have been reported.
This is a developing story. Check back later for more details.