1 killed, 1 injured in Channelview explosion

CHANNELVIEW, TX (KTRK) -- One person was killed and another was injured Saturday in a blast at a Channelview oil storage facility, officials say.

It was supposed to be a normal day for workers at the Oiltanking Partners storage facility on Jacintoport Boulevard near South Sheldon Road, but a welding accident quickly changed that.

Authorities said the explosion occurred around 8:10am.

No hazardous material was released and there were never any fire, environmental or health concerns, officials said.

According to Oiltanking Partners, the victim who died was employed by L-Con Constructors Company -- a Houston-based independent contracting company that was doing work on the premises.

The injured man is also a contracted worker with L-Con Constructors. He was taken to an area hopital with unknown injuries.

We spoke with a witness who heard and felt the explosion from about 100 yards away. He described hearing a large "boom" and then feeling the ground shake beneath him.

"It shook the ground," Mac McClanton said. "The guys felt it all the way over there at the tower over there. One of my buddies works over there, said he felt it."

The names of the two men have not been released.

A spokesperson with Oiltanking Partners said in a statement that the company is "concerned by this unfortunate accident" and their "main focus right now is on the welfare of the injured worker and to the families of those two workers."

"We remain totally committed to the safe operation of our facilities and will provide additional information regarding the accident after the investigation is complete," the statement read.

Please stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for updates as they become available.

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