Explosion at Texas chemical plant results in multiple injuries

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David Lupoff’s comment:

 

A fire and explosion occurred at a chemical manufacturing plant in Pasadena, Texas, on Saturday, local officials said.

The incident occurred at Kuraray America Eval, according to KHOU 11 News. The plant specializes in “chemical, fiber and resin production,” according to the news station.

The company in a statement on Facebook said that six people at the plant were receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and all onsite employees had been accounted for.

Kuraray officials confirmed “that a fire occurred at the company’s EVAL facility in Pasadena, Texas,” around 10:43 a.m. CT. They said the fire had been put out and there was “no threat to the surrounding area.”

“At the time of the incident, approximately 250 employees and contract personnel were onsite. All have been accounted for,” the statement said. “The company is fully cooperating with all local authorities and emergency response teams and will provide additional information as it becomes available and is confirmed.”

Authorities earlier reported that 20 workers were injured and one was missing.

Sean Burnett, a spokesman for HCA Healthcare, told The Associated Press that seven people were treated for “non-critical” injuries at the company’s two hospitals, including one who was treated and released.

In a statement posted to Facebook, the City of Pasadena Office of Emergency Management said there is “no danger to the public at this time,” but did confirm that a fire explosion occurred in the plant. In a follow-up message, authorities said the incident was “all clear.”

2 Killed, 4 Injured When BMW SUV Overturned in Suspected DUI Crash in Beverly Hills

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David Lupoff’s comment:  Below is an article about a horrible tragedy that occurred on 4/27/18.  

According to the article, this was a solo vehicle crash.  What does that mean for the passengers who were killed or injured?  The victims/passengers can sue the driver/owner of the BMW X5 – hopefully she has a significant insurance policy.

Two of the six women injured when a vehicle overturned in a suspected DUI crash in Beverly Hills early Friday morning have died, and the SUV’s driver has been arrested, officials said.

The solo-vehicle crash was reported about 1:23 a.m. near the intersection of South Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills Police Department Lt. Renato Moreno said.

Arriving officers found several victims had been ejected from a white BMW X5 that had overturned while heading east on South Santa Monica Boulevard.

Preliminary reports indicate that the driver was speeding, lost control and slammed into a tree in the area after possibly running a red light .

The SUV had been carrying six women, all between the age of 20 and 35 and from the Los Angeles area, police said in a news release.

Paramedic treated the patients at the scene and transported them to an area hospital with significant injuries.

Two of the women, both passengers, died at the hospital. The rest were suffering from injuries that ranged from minor to serious, authorities said.

One of the victims was identified as De’Nesha Stewart by friends on Facebook, and a second was identified as Jenetta Williams through a GoFundMe campaign.

A cousin of Williams’ told KTLA she was a mother of five.

The driver of the SUV, 30-year-old Taisha Welch, has been arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and driving without a license, police said.

She was being held on $100,000 bail and expected to appear in court on May 1.

It was unclear if the “smaller” SUV was equipped to hold 6 people, some of whom were likely not wearing seat belts, Moreno said.

South Santa Monica Boulevard remained closed until about 6 a.m. due to the crash.

Daren Rauer, an Uber driver, who witnessed the crash and said it ended “inches” from his car. He said seeing the crash unfold was “pretty traumatic.”

“It’s such a horrible thing to have witnessed,” Raur told KTLA.