USA – LyondellBasell Reports Fire Contained at Texas Chemical Facility

March 16, 2026

A fire that broke out at LyondellBasell’s Bayport Choate chemical facility in Texas on Thursday night has been brought under control, the company said on Friday.

The incident occurred at around 9 p.m. local time at a chemical process unit within the Lyondell Bayport site, according to the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office. Officials said the fire was triggered by a process upset at the plant that caused a flammable substance to be released. The material was then ignited by the pilot light of a flaring operation.

LyondellBasell said its on-site firefighting and emergency response teams were immediately activated to manage the situation. The company also received support from Channel Industries Mutual Aid (CIMA) and firefighting crews from neighboring areas.

All personnel at the facility were confirmed safe and accounted for, and no injuries were reported. The company added that the incident was not expected to have any off-site impact and that no action was required from the surrounding community.

Earlier, LyondellBasell had said an operational issue at the site could result in visible flames or smoke in the nearby area.

The Bayport Choate facility produces several chemical products, including propylene oxide, propylene glycol, propylene glycol ether, tertiary butyl alcohol, high-purity isobutylene, tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and ethyl tertiary-butyl ether. According to the company’s website, the site is the world’s largest producer of propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol based on production volume.

USA