Residents Of Longview Took To Social Media With Reports Of A Very Scary Noise.

I was scrolling through social media late last night and saw lots of my friends in the Longview community began posting about something strange going on in town.

Residents across various parts of Longview have reported hearing a mysterious loud boom, leaving communities puzzled and concerned. The noise, described as a thunderous blast, shook homes and sparked widespread speculation about its origin.

The Boom Came From Westlake Chemical

Houston-based Westlake operates a polyethylene facility on Estes Parkway that it purchased from Eastman Chemical Co. in 2006. Westlake employs about 200 people at its Longview site and they confirmed that the boom came from its plant.

Equipment failure was the cause and it produced a "loud noise or 'boom'" heard throughout the area at around 11:00 PM, a company statement said. Thankfully, no one was injured.

East Texas Has A Long History Of Dealing With "Loud Booms".

The booms, heard primarily in the evening or early morning hours, have been reported from cities like Houston, San Antonio, and parts of East Texas. While some initially believed they were caused by weather phenomena, such as thunder or lightning, others speculated they could be the result of seismic activity or underground explosions.

Some experts suggest that sonic booms from military aircraft or natural gas explosions could be responsible, given Texas' extensive oil and gas operations. While the source of these loud booms are sometimes understood and sometimes remain a mystery, they continue to spark curiosity and unease among residents.