**Two Workers Die in Hydrogen Sulfide Leak at Deer Park Refinery**

DEER PARK, Texas (AP) - Tragedy struck a Houston-area oil refinery operated by Pemex, Mexico's state-owned oil company, as two subcontractor employees died from a hydrogen sulfide leak, officials reported on Friday. Pemex Director Victor Rodriguez confirmed that the victims were in the immediate vicinity of the gas release and suffered direct exposure. Both bodies have since been recovered from the site.

During a news briefing, Mexican Energy Secretary Luz Elena Gonzalez assured the public that there is no ongoing risk associated with the leak. An investigation into the cause is currently underway. In an initial response, Pemex halted operations at two units of the refinery to minimize further impacts.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez reported that, in addition to the fatalities, about three dozen people either received medical treatment at the scene or were transported to hospitals. The incident occurred on Thursday during maintenance work on a flange at the facility, part of a network of oil refineries and plants comprising Houston's petrochemical industry.

The names of the deceased have not been disclosed, and their remains have been transferred to the Harris County medical examiner. Hydrogen sulfide, known for its distinct rotten-egg odor, poses a toxic risk at elevated levels.

In response to the leak, Deer Park officials issued a shelter-in-place order, which they rescinded hours later after air quality tests indicated no danger to nearby residents. Mayor Jerry Mouton stated that air monitoring results did not show any harmful levels of the gas outside the facility despite the noticeable odor.

This incident follows a recent pipeline fire in Deer Park last month, which forced local neighborhoods to evacuate and underscores ongoing safety concerns in this key area of the nation's petrochemical infrastructure.