TPC Group Explosions Force Evacuations in Port Neches – November 27, 2019

Incident Details (Factual Breakdown)

• Date: November 27, 2019

• Location: Port Neches, Texas (Jefferson County, ~90 miles east of Houston)

• Facility: TPC Group Petrochemical Plant

• Company: TPC Group

• Type of Incident: Series of explosions and prolonged chemical fire

• Known Cause: Butadiene vapor release ignited by heat exchanger failure; confirmed by CSB investigation

• Injuries: At least 3 workers injured in the initial blast

• Fatalities: None

• Environmental Impact: Massive air pollution; significant release of butadiene and other VOCs

• Community Impact: Over 50,000 residents evacuated from Port Neches, Groves, and surrounding communities

• Emergency Response: Multi-agency response; fire burned intermittently for several days

• Investigations: CSB, TCEQ, and EPA conducted full investigations; CSB report released in 2022

• Legal Action: Over 2,000 lawsuits filed; class actions and regulatory fines totaling over $30 million

• Estimated Financial Losses: $100+ million in property, cleanup, and liability

• Regulatory History: TPC had a documented history of environmental and safety violations, including prior incidents in 2017 and 2018

Incident Report

At 1:00 a.m. on November 27, 2019, a deafening explosion shattered the night at the TPC Group plant in Port Neches, sending a towering fireball into the air and launching debris miles from the blast site. The explosion, fueled by butadiene—a highly flammable and toxic chemical—ignited a series of chain reactions that would burn for days and displace tens of thousands of residents across Jefferson County.

Three workers were injured in the initial explosion, and while no lives were lost, the long-term toll on the surrounding community was immense. In the hours following the blast, emergency officials ordered the evacuation of over 50,000 people from Port Neches, Groves, Nederland, and parts of Beaumont. Schools closed, families fled, and air quality alarms lit up across the region.

A later investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board revealed that the root cause was a known mechanical failure in the plant’s heat exchanger system. The company had been cited previously for similar risks and had not implemented sufficient corrective action. In the aftermath, lawsuits flooded the courts—more than 2,000 in total—ranging from property damage to health impacts.

Regulators eventually fined TPC over $30 million for violations tied to the incident. Though the site was partially rebuilt, public confidence has not recovered. The event became a national symbol of lax oversight in chemical plants and underscored the persistent danger of housing heavy industry within densely populated areas.

For many in Southeast Texas, Thanksgiving week of 2019 will forever be remembered not by the sound of celebration—but by the explosion that lit up the sky and cleared out a city.