Worker missing after explosion at Hood County chemical plant

CRESSON, Texas - One person was critically injured and another is still unaccounted for after an explosion at a chemical plant in Hood County on Thursday morning.

The explosion at Tri-Chem Industries in the city of Cresson happened about 9:45 a.m. and resulted in a fire that sent large amounts of dark smoke into the air. Authorities say 12 people were working at the plant at the time of the explosion.

The fire is out, but there is still heat from debris, collapse and the worry of toxic fumes.

One worker is still missing after the fire. Crews searched for the unaccounted worker into Thursday night but called off the search until Friday morning.

On top of the missing person, DPS says one worker was critically injured and taken by air ambulance to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. A third person was listed in good condition at a Granbury hospital.

The mayor of Cresson says the plant brings in concentrated acids and soaps and other chemicals and dilutes them for customers.

Officials have not identified the missing worker. However, Austin Mitchell says his brother, 27-year-old Dylan Mitchell, is the missing worker.

"There was an explosion, and my brother's friend said that he had to have flown out the door with him,” Austin said. “He's still not found."

A bookkeeper who answered the phone at the company's Coppell headquarters said the owner was at the scene and would issue a statement later.

Firefighters said the smoke from the fire is toxic, but the wind blew it away from populated areas so no homes had to be evacuated. People at a lumber yard that's next door were told to leave.

DPS had Highway 171 closed for several hours after the explosion. The road was reopened around 4 p.m.

The explosion remains under investigation.