2 workers hospitalized for ‘headaches and nausea’ after unknown odor at Deer Park chemical plant

DEER PARK, Texas – Authorities in Deer Park were looking for an unknown odor in the area that caused two people to be hospitalized after feeling ill.

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According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, initial reports received were that there was an unknown odor at Lubrizol Corporation, a chemical plant on Tidal Road near Hwy 225 and the Pasadena Freeway.

The sheriff said the odor was “causing some to experience headaches and nausea.”

Further investigation from emergency officials with Deer Park revealed there did not seem to be a threat to residents in the area.

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Deputies also temporarily shut down the westbound frontage lanes of Highway 225 while officials continued investigating.

During a press conference, the initial reports came in around 7:30 a.m. of the suspicious odor, prompting responses from multiple law enforcement agencies.

At least two employees from Shell reported feeling nauseous and having headaches and were sent to the hospital.

Shortly before 9:30 a.m., Sheriff Gonzalez shared an update that the roadway would soon be reopening due to air quality levels being safe.

“No threat to the work sites or community has been identified,” he said via X.

As to the source of the odor, officials have not been able to identify it, as of this writing. At 11:50 a.m., the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health (CTECH) stopped monitoring air quality levels and said they did not find any hazardous readings.

Emergency crews noted it’s not uncommon for there to be odors in the area due to the chemical plant, but said they are still working to ensure residents stay safe.

Dr. Ramanan Krishnamoorti, Vice President for Energy and Innovation at the University of Houston, explained the chemical origins of the odor and why it can cause symptoms like nausea and headaches.

“Certain noxious compounds such as sulfur-based compounds or nitrogen-based compounds or in some case aromatic compounds tend to give us noxious odors and that’s because it is interacting with the human body and the human will reject it in different forms,” said Krishamoorti.

Krishnamoorti emphasized that residents in Deer Park and nearby communities face elevated health risks due to the density of nearby petrochemical plants:

“People have seen much of the population in Deer Park, Pasadena, Baytown, and other areas have challenges with upper respiratory conditions. Things like asthma tend to get exacerbated. In extreme cases, you get cancer clusters that come about because of carcinogens being released in significant amounts,“ said Krishnamoorti. “There are significantly increased health risks for people living in these areas.”

Krishnamoorti said the best way to prevent health risks is to reduce exposure.

“This can happen through increasing distance or putting additional barriers,” said Krishnamoorti. “Have your air conditioning turned on, and when these alarms go off, to actually turn off inlet air coming into those air conditioning vents.”

A spokesperson for Lubrizol shared the following statement with KPRC 2:

“Lubrizol has received reports of a distinct odor near our facility at 41 Tidal Road, Deer Park, Texas. We are monitoring the facility’s fence line and there is no indication that the odor emanates from our facility.

“Lubrizol’s environmental and safety teams are working with local authorities to monitor the situation and collaborate as needed.”