HOUSTON - One person was killed and another was injured in a plant explosion,  which occurred early Saturday in Houston, a city in the US state of Texas, local media reported.

According to local TV channel ABC13 reports, a welding machine malfunction should be blamed for the accident, which happened at an Oiltanking Partners facility in Channelview.

The person who died in the accident was an employee of an independent contractor and the injured man was also a contracted worker, who has been taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

The company said in a statement there was no fire, environmental or health threat that occurred, and a thorough investigation was underway.

Firefighters at the blast site also confirmed that the blast did not pose a threat to the public as no hazardous material was released.

The company, which is engaged in the storage and transport of crude oil, refined petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gas, is part of the Oiltanking Group, which is the world's second largest independent tank storage provider for products, chemicals and gases.