Houston chemical plant leak kills 2, injures at least 35

A chemical leak involving hydrogen sulfide at the PEMEX oil refinery in Deer Park Texas, left two people dead and at least 35 more injured on Thursday night.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said a group of workers were conducting work on a flange when an unknown accident occurred and gas started leaking.

The Deer Park Office of Emergency Management says they were notified of the incident at approximately 5:23 p.m. 

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The downtown skyline is pictured as the sun rises on August 25, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (by Loren Elliott/Getty Images)

Gonzalez estimated it would take seven or eight hours for the investigators to be able to get to where the incident happened.

Following the leak, PEMEX said it was doing work that could cause flaring.

PEMEX said it shut the 92,000-bpd coker and a hydrotreater at the refinery after the release began, according to a company statement.

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Deer Park lifted the Shelter-in-Place according to a statement by the Deer Park Office of Emergency Management.  

Harris County Pollution Control, Harris County Hazmat, and CTEH are reporting no hazardous chemicals within the community.

Deer Park also said they are aware of the odor but want to reassure the community that there is no hazard to the community.

"Harris County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that 35 PEMEX employees were triaged and 2 have been confirmed as deceased.  The majority of mutual aid resources have been released, and HCSO will continue their investigation," it said.