1 killed, 1 injured after La Porte plant explosion

Air Liquide employees watch from a safe distance as firefighters respond to an explosion and fire at the company plant in La Porte. Air Liquide employees watch from a safe distance as firefighters respond to an explosion and fire at the company plant in La Porte. Photo: Johnny Hanson, Staff Photo: Johnny Hanson, Staff Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close 1 killed, 1 injured after La Porte plant explosion 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

An explosion at a La Porte plant Saturday killed one employee and left another seriously injured, authorities said.

Around 7:40 a.m., a loud explosion occurred at the Air Liquide plant at 11450 W. Fairmont Parkway, just west of Bay Area Boulevard. The blast, which occurred in a metal building on the site, triggered a fire that filled the area with heavy smoke. About 15 to 20 employees were believed to be on site at the time, company spokesman Michael Rosen said.

One employee was taken immediately by helicopter to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, said La Porte Police Sgt. John Krueger. Officials said the man sustained serious injuries but was able to speak to investigators later in the day.

Another employee, Javier Ortiz, 30, was reported missing. Crews searched for about 12 hours before discovering a body. They were unable to confirm the victim's identity Saturday night.

During the search, a tearful Julie Ortiz asked for prayers for her husband, a chemist at the plant.

"He's a wonderful father and husband and very active in our parish, Holy Rosary," the high school teacher said. The couple has three children, ages 3, 5 and 7.

The explosion rattled the windows of the nearby Burrito Express No. 2, where 26-year-old Marcela Lara was in the kitchen preparing for the breakfast crowd. It was such a loud blast, she thought a car had crashed into the restaurant.

"It was so scary," Lara said.

She ran outside to see smoke bellowing from the site and hear alarms sounding.

Rescue workers brought in heavy equipment and searched for hours before recovering the body. "There's been a lot of structural collapse inside so we've got a lot of safety issues," said Lt. Dean Hensley with the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office.

Gases, including oxygen, nitrogen and argon, are mixed at the plant into cylinders that are used in the processing of such items as food, beverages and electronics, according to a company spokesman.

Air Liquide describes itself as "the world leader in gases for industry, health and the environment." Headquartered in Houston, the company has more than 200 locations, including about 130 gas plants and 2,000 miles of pipeline, the website states.

Staff writer Carol Christian contributed to this report.