![Firefighters in Corpus Christi responded Friday to an apparent explosion in the city’s port and refinery district.](https://media.nbcdfw.com/2020/08/corpus-christi-explosion-082120.png?resize=320%2C180&quality=85&strip=all)
Six people have been hospitalized after a pipeline exploded Friday in Corpus Christi’s port and refinery district, officials said.
Corpus Christi Police Department Deputy Chief Billy Breedlove told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that the explosion happened after a barge in the water hit the pipeline.
Six people were transported to a hospital, Corpus Christi Fire Department Chief Robert Rocha told the newspaper. Details about the extent of their injuries wasn’t immediately released. Two additional people refused treatment, Rocha said.
“We’re trying to get a headcount of everybody that may have been involved or anybody who may have been around when the incident occurred,” Rocha said.
The fire was reported about 8 a.m. near Nueces Bay in the northern part of the city. Flames and a large plume of black smoke were visible.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued the following statement after the explosion.
"The State of Texas is working closely with local partners in Corpus Christi as well as the Coast Guard to assist with emergency response efforts following the explosion. Texas Division of Emergency Management and Texas Department of Public Safety personnel are already on the ground to provide support, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is monitoring air quality in the area. The state stands ready to provide any additional personnel and resources needed to address this event and keep Texans in the area safe. We will continue to monitor the situation, and I ask all Texans to pray for the men and women responding to the explosion and for the safety of those in the area."