Authorities in Texas on Wednesday called for residents in four towns to flee their homes following a new blast at a chemical plant that has been burning for more than 12 hours.
Jefferson County officials ordered residents within a 6.4-kilometer radius of the TPC Group chemical plant in Port Neches, Texas, to evacuate when a blast shredded a chemical distillation tower during firefighting efforts. About 60,000 people across Port Neches, Groves, Port Arthur and Nederland were ordered to leave.