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| A huge blaze erupted at a Philadelphia oil refinery early Friday, sending a fireball into the sky and forcing residents to stay off nearby roads, local media and officials said. June 21, 2019. |
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Huge fire breaks out at Philadelphia oil refinery
WPVI-TV
Fri June 21, 2019
Area: Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania - The Philadelphia Department of Public Health says air samples taken from the scene of a massive refinery fire show no findings that would point to an immediate danger to the surrounding community.
The Department of Public Health says air sample testing at the 150-year-old refinery and surrounding community has found "no ambient carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons (combustibles), or hydrogen sulfides."
The Philadelphia Fire Department said they received reports of a vat burning around 4:05 a.m. Friday at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining Complex on the 3100 block of Passyunk Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia.
According to Philadelphia Deputy Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy, crews arrived on the scene to find the PES fire brigade already working.
Philadelphia Energy Solutions says the oil refining complex is the largest on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, processing 335,000 barrels of crude oil daily.
It was the second blaze at the refinery this month, following a June 10 fire in which no injuries were reported.
Murphy said the fire is contained but is not under control. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Philadelphia Energy Solutions said there were three separate explosions in one of their alkylation units. Nearby residents said they could be felt through South Jersey and Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
"We have not determined the product that was burning, but we believe it was mostly propane," PES said.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Murphy said a vat of butane ignited and eventually exploded. A series of smaller explosions happened as the fire worked its way through the tangle of pipes carrying fuel across the complex. Refinery emergency response crews and the Philadelphia Fire Department responded to the scene.
Plant and city firefighters were cooling down nearby tanks to prevent the fire from spreading.
"We're here in support of the Philadelphia Energy Solution (crews)," Murphy said during a media briefing at the site. "The fire is now different from when we got here."
Murphy said employees were working near the vat when it exploded, but were not close enough to be severely injured.
PES said four employees suffered minor injuries and were all treated on-site by their medical team.
The fire department called for a third alarm bringing in 51 apparatus and 120 personnel to battle the blaze. Murphy said the fire department regularly trains with the PES fire brigade.
A shelter-in-place for residents in the neighborhood has been lifted. There has been no call for evacuations.
The Platt Bridge was closed so officials could bring in fire equipment. It was reopened just before 6 a.m. The Schuylkill Expressway eastbound was also closed for a time during the early hours.
PES said the refinery complex remains running, but at a reduced rate.
The Department of Public Health full statement:
Regarding this morning's PES fire:
Air Management Services was on-scene immediately and took air samples. Preliminary testing at the refinery, and in the community around, found no ambient carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons (combustibles), or hydrogen sulfides.
Additional samples were taken and transported to the Air Management Services Lab. We are awaiting the results of the tests being run and will release the interpretation of the results as soon as it is available.
The Health Department has no findings that would point to any immediate danger in the surrounding community at this time, and the City is NOT recommending evacuation or shelter-in-place.
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