Thousands of Jefferson County residents forced to spend Thanksgiving away from their homes due to TPC explosions

Thousands of residents spend Thanksgiving away from their homes

The chemical plant fire in Port Neches near Beaumont continued to burn Thursday, and a mandatory evacuation order remained in effect for people in a four-mile radius of the fire.

PORT NECHES, Texas - "We have experienced a very significant situation it is improving but we are not completely out of the woods," said Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick during a press conference Thursday afternoon.

He served good and bad news for Thanksgiving to Port Neches residents still reeling from Wednesday's explosions that damaged homes frayed neighbors and injured 8 people.

"Very scary. I got emotional yesterday when I was talking to my wife we had just left the plant when the second explosion happened it's a lot to take in it will change the way you look at things," said Nikolas Stasinos, who had to evacuate his home.

Officials say they are making progress at the TPC Group refinery in Port Neches.

The plan remains the same let the blaze burn itself out.

"Twenty-four seven has been carried out and all the air monitoring has shone there are no contaminants in the air that are harmful to human health," the county judge said.

But another explosion isn't out of the question, and that's why the mandatory evacuation remains in place.

The mandatory evacuation zone is a four-mile radius around the TPC refinery.

The police can't force people to leave their homes.

"I've stayed through all the hurricanes," said James Martin.

The dark plume looming in the distance didn't stop the Martin's family from preparing Thanksgiving dinner as usual.

"I don't have a fear button it got broke. It does t scare me my kids stayed with me," said Martin.

Officials are expected to meet at 8 a.m. Friday to assess the progress made overnight.

At that time they will decide to lift or continue the mandatory evacuation.