7 injured, 4 in critical condition in Corpus Christi explosion

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (KTRK) -- At least seven people were injured Saturday in an explosion at an oil storage facility and prompted a temporary shelter-in-place for the area, police said.

It happened around 10 a.m. at a tank farm belonging to Magellan Midstream when workers were inspecting and cleaning out an oil storage tank.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the explosion. Four of the seven victims were said to be in critical condition, with one needing to be transported to a burn unit in San Antonio.

Corpus Christi Fire Chief Robert Rocha told KIII-TV the fire was extinguished and some of the injured were critical.

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement Saturday afternoon about the incident.

"The State of Texas is working closely with Magellan and Corpus Christi officials to aid in the emergency response efforts and to provide immediate help to those injured in the explosion. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is monitoring air quality in the area, and the Texas Division Of Emergency Management is on the ground to provide support. The Texas Department of Public Safety is also working to provide assistance to first responders on the ground. The state is ready to deploy additional resources to respond to this event and keep the community safe. Cecilia and I ask all Texans join us in prayer for those injured in this explosion, for our first responders, and for the safety of those in the area."