Blaze erupts at Texas chemical plant (VIDEOS)

A local sheriff said police and fire crews responded to reports of an explosion at the facility

At least eight workers were hospitalized after a fire broke out at a Shell chemical plant in Texas on Friday, sending a towering column of black smoke into the sky. Officials say they are now monitoring the air for toxic byproducts.

First responders were called to the Shell petrochemical facility in the Houston suburb of Deer Park just after 3pm local time, the company said in a statement, noting that while there were no injuries in the fire, a number of contractors were “exposed to product” and sought out treatment as a “precaution.” 

Shell did not specify what chemicals the workers may have come into contact with, but noted that “cracked heavy gas oil, cracked light gas oil and gasoline” ignited in the fire.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said he initially received “preliminary reports of some sort of explosion,” but later stated there was no blast. However, footage captured by a local TV station shows a large fireball rising from the plant after fire crews believed the flames were extinguished. Officials said the reignition was “contained within approximately 30 seconds” and that such flare-ups are to be expected.

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