Texas City refinery worker died of blunt force trauma

HOUSTON Dr. Stephen Pustilnik told the Houston Chronicle that 40-year-old Tommy Manis of Alvin died after a boiler failure Friday night at the Valero plant.

Valero spokesman Bill Day told The Associated Press the accident had yet to be classified an explosion. He said the investigation was continuing.

Day said the other two men, a Valero employee and a contract worker, were "doing well." Day said there was no environmental impact in the area.

Operations have returned to normal at the refinery, which employs about 480 people.

Earlier story

One worker was killed and two others were injured when a boiler failed at the Valero petroleum refinery in Texas City.

The incident occurred about 9 p.m. Friday, said Bill Day, spokesman for San Antonio-based Valero Energy Co. Day said he could not say whether an explosion or a fire occurred, pending an investigation. A spokesman for the Texas City Police Department said he had no details.

The worker who died was a Valero employee.

Another employee was injured and taken to a hospital in Galveston. The other injured person was a contract worker who was taken to a hospital in Texas City, Day said. Their conditions were not immediately available.

The refinery employs about 480 people. It continued operating on Friday night, and no environmental damage occurred, Day said.