Fire out and shelter-in-place order is lifted after #OilRefinery explosion near #Texas coast

By HALLIE GOLDEN
Updated 7:29 AM EDT, March 24, 2026

"An oil refinery fire near the Texas coast was put out Tuesday and a shelter-in-place order was lifted, hours after a large explosion at the complex shot plumes of smoke into the air, officials said.

"No one was injured in Monday’s explosion at the #Valero refinery in #PortArthur, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Houston, Mayor Charlotte M. Moses said. She had urged residents in parts of the west side of the city to stay put.

" 'There’s been an explosion, yes, but we’re OK; everybody’s OK,' she said. 'They’re trying to put the fire out as quickly as possible.'

"Residents at least several miles away said they felt their homes shake. Some schools in the area were closed Tuesday as a precaution.

"The explosion comes amid a spike in gas prices driven by uncertainty over the global oil supply because of the Iran war.

"The refinery has about 770 employees and can process about 435,000 barrels of oil per day, according to Valero’s website. The plant refines heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel."

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/refinery-explosion-texas-coast-60ecf6d9a70a2f1d5494fb8e38a84c4a

#BigOilAndGas #BlackRain #ToxicPlumes #RenewablesNow #USPol #TrumpSucks #Oiligrchy

Why is #BlackRain Falling on #Tehran and What Does It Mean for Health?

Written by Nadine
Medically Reviewed by Colleen Fleiss, M.Sc on Mar 23 2026 3:39 PM

Excerpt: "Toxic Emissions From Damaged #Oil Facilities

A spokesperson for the World Health Organization, Christian Lindmeier, stated on 17 March that the destruction of #Iran's oil infrastructure released hazardous #hydrocarbons, #SulfurOxides, and #NitrogenCompounds into the atmosphere.

When rain combines with these #pollutants, it can lead to #ChemicalBurns and #LungInjury. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation and noted that authorities in Iran have urged residents to remain indoors.

"#BlackRain refers broadly to rainfall contaminated with atmospheric pollutants, explains Farzana Kastury, an environmental scientist at Adelaide University in Australia. Such rain often results from bushfire smoke or the burning of heavy fuels, which are by-products of crude #OilRefining.

In Iran's case, the black rain likely contains pollutants generated from the combustion of these fuels during fires triggered by missile attacks, including substances such as #acetone, #toluene, and #carcinogenic compounds like #benzene and #methylenechloride ."

Read more:
https://www.medindia.net/news/healthinfocus/why-is-black-rain-falling-on-tehran-and-what-does-it-mean-for-health-222820-1.htm

#NoWar #WarIsToxic #USWarOnIran #WorldWar3 #IsraeliWarCrimes #USWarCrimes #WorldPol #ToxicRain #ToxicRainInTehran

#Proof #Method of #Mathematics : Medium

You Can #Approximate #Pi by Dropping #Needles on the Floor : WIRED

‘#BlackRain’ in #Tehran — what are the #Health effects? : Nature

Latest #KnowledgeLinks

https://knowledgezone.co.in/resources/bookmarks

Toxic air pollution here and there

After weeks of spraying pesticides, then burning the logged plantations, the smoke lingered in a smoulderscape that left soot on all objects and ln lungs. Now the rain washes the cocktail of herbicides together with the ultrafine particle smoke into the surrounding soil and waterways. Negative externalities caused by the NSW government's Forestry Corporation. >>
https://mastodon.au/@Bellingen/116179883788004782

The large-scale deconstruction of oil wells elsewhere
Pulverising oil wells into our atmosphere

"Reports are emerging of black rain falling over parts of Iran in the hours after US-Israeli airstrikes on oil depots on the weekend, with some outlets describing it as “acid rain”. Iranian residents have reported headaches, difficulty breathing, and oil-contaminated rain settling on buildings and cars."

"This rain would include acids but also likely a host of other pollutants that are harmful to humans and the environment in the short and long term.This black rain indicates toxic pollutants such as hydrocarbons, ultrafine particles known as PM2.5, and carcinogenic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have made their way into the rain. When ultrafine particles (PM2.5) are inhaled, they can get into your bloodstream. This has been linked to a range of health impacts including cancers, neurological conditions (such as cognitive impairment), and various cardiovascular conditions." >>
https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-acid-rain-in-the-wake-of-us-bombings-in-iran-an-atmospheric-scientist-explains-277849
#pollution #AirPollution #FossilFuel #combustion #BlackRain #chemicals #toxins #water #EcologicalDisaster #FCNSW #war #atmosphere #climate #governance