Massive Explosion at Houston Manufacturing Plant Kills 2, Damages 200 Homes: VIDEO

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Massive Explosion at Houston Manufacturing Plant Kills 2, Damages 200 Homes: VIDEO

A massive explosion at a Houston manufacturing plant rocked a large section of the nation’s fourth-largest city early Friday, leaving two dead and damaging 200 homes. Dozens of people have also visited local emergency rooms, complaining of minor injuries and breathing problems.

Couldn’t get sound to work when posting from my phone. This should work though:#houstonexplosion pic.twitter.com/HXkLBW6cvB

— Joey Charpentier (@BattleNub19) January 24, 2020

The Houston Chronicle reports: The blast jerked residents awake shortly after 4:15 a.m., damaging scores of homes, knocking structures from foundations, ripping doors off hinges, and strewing wreckage across a half-mile wide debris field. Police Chief Art Acevedo said terrorism is not suspected, but said the department is launching a criminal investigation into the incident. … In the hours after the blast, environmental watchdogs excoriated “another chemical explosion” that had claimed more lives in the Houston area, and called for greater government oversight to protect workers and residents living and working near industrial plants.

More from the Associated PressL “Do a search around your own home and your own neighborhood, even if you’re a mile away from this location,” Acevedo said. “Look for any debris, any body parts, anything that may be related. If you find anything in your immediate home, in your yard, don’t touch it. Just call the Houston Police Department so we can respond.” Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said hazardous materials crews have secured the valve on a 2,000-gallon (7,571-liter) tank of propylene that had been leaking. Propylene is a colorless gas used to produce chemicals in plastics, synthetic rubber and gasoline. It is highly flammable and can explode in a fire. People exposed to propylene can become dizzy and light-headed, and the gas can also cause liver damage.

More footage of the explosion and damage below.

In all my years, I’ve never seen this on our local radar. A giant explosion occurred just before 4:30am this morning in Northwest Houston and was felt more than 20 miles away. Radar clearly shows this brief FLASH of reflectivity from NW Houston. #explosion #Houston #Radar pic.twitter.com/6XJ5Wa5P0K

— Mike Iscovitz (@Fox26Mike) January 24, 2020

Police evacuating area. Fear of secondary explosion and poisonous gas. #Houston #Explosion pic.twitter.com/W8X224S4n3

— Das Krümel – No sneezing in DAVOS (@das_krumel) January 24, 2020

Pictures shattered, blown of walls, baseboards blown off, storm doors shattered, doors blown off hinges. #abc13 #houstonexplosion pic.twitter.com/NhaLmyalyI

— Courtney Fischer (@CourtneyABC13) January 24, 2020

Explosion in Houston. Nest cam got the audio. #Houston pic.twitter.com/9SceN8gkhi

— Ryan Crews (@RCrews16) January 24, 2020

Around 4:27amCT this morning, an explosion on Houston’s northwest side, ~15 miles to my northwest, woke me up because it sounded like a person jumped on my roof & scurried away. The explosion was seen on KHGX radar, with best view of the shockwave using the Spectrum Width band. pic.twitter.com/7u9IVNHrBl

— Billy Forney 3 (@BillyForney3) January 24, 2020

Inside one of the houses right by the explosion site in #Houston on snap maps pic.twitter.com/dXAG7IQdHV

— Nick Russo (@Kingnickrusso) January 24, 2020

Karen Blok takes me inside her home. When the blast rocked her house and blew out her windows, Karen’s chihuahua ran out. Karen is so worried. What a mess. #abc13 #houstonexplosion pic.twitter.com/S1EaeBWMPS

— Courtney Fischer (@CourtneyABC13) January 24, 2020

#BREAKING this is video from #sky2 of the explosion in #NWHouston. It happened at Watson Valve Services #Houstonexplosion #hounews @KPRC2 #txnews pic.twitter.com/3HGQel3VxY

— Taniya Wright (@KPRC2Taniya) January 24, 2020