Goodyear Plant Explosion Leaks Methylethyl Benzene

The explosion of two reactor units at Goodyear’s Bayport Plant in La Porte, Houston, Texas on Saturday 2nd August has sprayed the air with the chemical Methylethyl Benzine, leading to health concerns for the local populus. The chemical can cause respiratory problems, and several motorists in the area were taken to hospital as a result of breathing the air into which it was dispersed.

Nobody at the plant has reported any illness resulting from the incident, while all of those admitted to hospital have been cleared of any immediately obvious injury. There are concerns about the long-term implications of breathing in the gas. The causes of the explosion are as yet unexplained.