A worker was horrifically buried alive under three feet of piping hot tar after a 50,000-gallon tank ruptured in Texas, according to authorities and reports.
Emergency responders rushed to the massive spill just before 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday and discovered that one person was “unaccounted for” at Martin Asphalt, Alma Alanis, the city of South Houston’s emergency management coordinator, said at a press conference.
A tank ruptured and spilled roughly 50,000 gallons of tar — burying an unidentified worker in roughly three feet of the dark, viscous liquid, KHOU reported.
The person became trapped in the tar — which sources told Fox26 was roughly 210 degrees Fahrenheit at the time.
Photos from the scene showed the dilapidated tank and black tar engulfing the facility. The material is typically spread as a base layer before asphalt is applied.
Air quality monitoring is underway, and officials said Wednesday that there was no threat to the community. Crews have been on standby to aid in the cleanup.
In a statement, Taylor told Fox26 that “safety is a fundamental priority for our company.”
“Martin Asphalt confirms with deep regret that an employee involved in a recent incident at our South Houston, Texas, asphalt terminal has died,” the statement said. This is a tragic situation, and we are treating it with the utmost seriousness at every level of our company.
“We maintain established safety procedures and emergency response protocols across our operations, and those protocols were activated,” Taylor continued.
“We have commenced a comprehensive internal review of the incident and are in the process of gathering and evaluating all relevant facts and information. We are also cooperating with appropriate governmental authorities in connection with their reviews.”
The Pasadena Fire Marshal’s Office will lead the investigation, officials said.