Three people were injured in an explosion at an oil refinery.
An oil leak at the Martinez Refining Company refinery in California caused an explosion and fire. The plant is located several dozen kilometers from Oakland and San Francisco.
The Mercury News reports this.
“All company employees on site were evacuated. At a news conference, Contra Costa County Fire Battalion Chief Bob Atlas said three employees were slightly injured,” the report said.
Authorities said the fire was caused by a hydrocarbon leak.
“We're trying to figure out what's in that smoke right now,” Atlas said.
The Martinez Refining Company said the fire was “smoking furiously,” with the amount of residual fuel is unknown, and they refused to give an approximate time frame for extinguishing it.
Crews arrived at the plant, but had difficulty determining the source of the fire.
The incident caused a large fire at the refinery. The flames shot 200 feet into the air, creating huge black clouds that were moving east. Refinery employees were evacuated and rallied on Pacheco Boulevard, near the facility.
Due to the health threat to local residents, the Contra Costa Health Department issued a Level 3 alert and shelter-in-place order for areas north and east of the refinery. Areas affected included Mountain View Drive, Vine Hill Road, Avon Way, and Benicia. The shelter-in-place order lasted until 9:15 p.m., after which the shelter-in-place order remained in effect for the affected areas.
To ensure safety, the Shell Avenue on- and off-ramps and Marina Vista Avenue on Interstate 680 were closed, although the freeway itself remained open. Chevron Fire and the Coast Guard were on scene.
At the same time, a countywide health advisory was issued warning of possible health concerns for those with respiratory sensitivities and advising children and the elderly to stay indoors. The fire was classified as a Level 2 incident, which includes potential health concerns, especially for those with sensitivities to toxic fumes.
Recall that this plant has had several issues over the past year, including unplanned gas releases and other safety incidents. The company emphasized that their priority is to ensure the safety of both citizens and rescuers.
Recall that earlier we wrote about one of the American states wanting to leave the United States.
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