Officials said the victim was buried under about 3 feet of asphalt.
SOUTH HOUSTON, Texas — A worker died Wednesday after a large asphalt spill at a South Houston industrial facility, where emergency crews found the victim buried under several feet of material, officials said.
The incident brought hazmat crews, fire officials and recovery teams to the Martin Asphalt facility in the 300 block of Christy Place. Officials said about 50,000 gallons of asphalt were involved. The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office said recovery work was complete by Wednesday night, and the medical examiner’s office was at the scene.
SkyEye13 video showed a large area of dark material spread across the ground near industrial tanks. One tank appeared damaged, and asphalt could be seen splattered on equipment nearby. Images from the scene also showed emergency vehicles blocking a roadway near the facility while crews worked around the spill.
Martin Midstream Partners LP Chief Financial Officer Sharon Taylor said the victim’s body had been recovered. Taylor said the company had not determined what caused the incident. Officials said the man was working when the spill happened, but they had not said Wednesday night whether he was directly employed by Martin Asphalt or by another company.
The City of South Houston and the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office confirmed the death after crews responded Wednesday afternoon. Earlier reports described the call as a hazmat incident with a possible fatality. The South Houston Fire Department led the emergency response, with support from county fire marshal personnel and other responders.
The victim’s name had not been released as of Thursday, April 30. Officials said the medical examiner would handle identification and determine the formal cause and manner of death. Investigators had not released a final account of how the spill began or whether a tank failure, transfer problem or other equipment issue was involved.
The facility is listed as Martin Asphalt’s South Houston location. Company materials describe Martin Asphalt as a supplier of asphalt products used in road work, roofing and specialty applications. The South Houston site sits in an industrial area southeast of Houston, where storage tanks, truck access and nearby drainage areas are visible around local facilities.
Authorities said the scene remained active Wednesday night after recovery operations ended. Any workplace death can bring reviews by local investigators, company safety teams and federal workplace safety officials, though officials had not announced which agencies would lead follow-up inspections. The company said emergency response procedures were started after the incident.
By late Wednesday, the central unanswered questions remained the same: what failed, how the worker became trapped and whether any other employees were hurt. Officials did not report additional deaths. Crews stayed focused on the industrial site, the spilled asphalt and the area around the damaged tank.
Author note: Last updated April 30, 2026.