12 injured, 3 critically burned at ExxonMobil refinery

Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close 12 injured, 3 critically burned at ExxonMobil refinery 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

ExxonMobil refinery spokeswoman Kathleen Jackson said 12 contract workers were injured after a fire in the refinery's processing unit this morning.The unit was shutdown for repairs, Jackson said.

Injured workers were taken to Beaumont hospitals with a variety of injuries, Jackson said. Beaumont Fire and Rescue said three of the workers were critically burned.

Medical helicopters could not be used to transport the burn victims because of poor weather, according to Beaumont Fire and Rescue. Instead, all injured workers were taken by ambulances, which were seen going in and out of refinery gates around 11:30 a.m.

All refinery employees have been accounted for, Jackson said.

Residence who live near the refinery reported that they did not hear a siren this morning that would have alerted them to a fire at the refinery.

Check back with BeaumontEnterprise.com for updates.