After several hours, firefighters have extinguished a blaze from an oil tank explosion in Galveston, Texas. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports.
By msnbc.com staff and news services
GALVESTON, Texas -- A crude oil tank exploded and burned at a biodiesel plant on the waterfront docks in Galveston, Texas, rattling the island city Thursday.
KPRC reported that about 35 firefighters were called in to tackle the three-alarm blaze.
A worker was treated for smoke inhalation but no other injuries were reported, city spokeswoman Alicia Cahill told The Associated Press.
Cahill said one tank burned after the 7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. ET) Thursday explosion, but firefighters worked to keep neighboring tanks cool.
Speaking to KPRC, Cahill said boiling crude oil fed the flames -- which made the fire difficult to contain.
A shelter-in-place order for nearby Texas A&M University at Galveston was lifted after two hours, and the nearby traffic arteries and bridge to Pelican Island were opened by midnight.
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A tank containing light crude oil exploded in Galveston, Texas, on Thursday night.
Fire companies from Texas City and La Marque came from mainland Texas to join their Galveston counterparts in fighting the fire on the city's northern waterfront.
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The Associated Press and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
