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Chemicals burning at Texas plant are unstable if not cooled

Mike Cossey, of Bureau Veritas, uses an air monitor to check the quality of air at a police roadblock marking the 1.5-mile perimeter of the evacuation area around the Arkema Inc. chemical plant Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Crosby, Texas. The Houston-area chemical plant that lost power after Harvey engulfed the area in extensive floods was rocked by multiple explosions early Thursday, the plant's operator said. The Arkema Inc. plant had been left without refrigeration for chemicals that become volatile as the temperature rises. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Mike Cossey, of Bureau Veritas, uses an air monitor to check the quality of air at a police roadblock marking the 1.5-mile perimeter of the evacuation area around the Arkema Inc. chemical plant Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Crosby, Texas. The Houston-area chemical plant that lost power after Harvey engulfed the area in extensive floods was rocked by multiple explosions early Thursday, the plant's operator said. The Arkema Inc. plant had been left without refrigeration for chemicals that become volatile as the temperature rises. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

By Associated Press 5 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – The chemicals that exploded at a Texas plant are so unstable hat they must be kept cool or they can ignite a runaway scenario.

Experts say that’s what happened when the Arkema Inc. chemical plant lost power after Harvey engulfed the area in floods. Arkema executive Richard Rennard said the fire was caused by the chemicals degrading because of the lack of refrigeration.

The chemicals that caught fire at the plant outside Houston were organic peroxides, a family of unstable compounds used for making a variety of products, including pharmaceuticals and construction materials.

Those are some of the most reactive chemicals around, which is good for manufacturing, but all too dangerous in massive flooding, said Marco Kaltofen, president of Boston Chemical Data.