The Washington Post and NPR have similar reports that the Arkema Chemical Plant in Crosby, Texas, is likely to explode. It produces chemicals that require refrigeration for safe storage, and the generator that powers the refrigeration has been inundated with six feet of flood water. The management of the plant says there is nothing to do but to wait until it explodes.
I had another article that listed some of what is stored there, but not quantities. I am not clear on whether the material is stored in large tanks or in containers. I’ve seen warehouses mentioned, which suggest containers. If I had more of that information, I could say more about the dangers.
Some of the chemicals, as I recall from the list, are peroxides and others are hydrocarbons. The two will burn together, although the peroxides probably can explode or burn by themselves. There’s really nothing that can be done to neutralize them; removing them would be best, but that’s probably difficult. The plant probably has a red line in their safety manual for evacuation, and it sounds like that red line has been crossed. People have been evacuated within a mile and a half radius. Hopefully that is based on a calculation from the amounts of material at the plant.