Search

Massive Explosions at Largest Oil Refinery on East Coast Shake Philly and NJ Homes

Posted on 6/24/2019 by Lauren Scott

UPDATE: The US CSB has not yet announced a root cause of the explosion, but noted the explosion was the result of an unintentional release of hydrocarbon vapors in the alkylation unit that produces a high-octane blending agent for gasoline. The unit also uses hydrofluoric acid. In its gaseous state, the chemical poses significant health risks. Investigators noted that no hydrofluoric acid escaped, preventing an even worse potential catastrophe. 

The company where the release occured has announced that they will be closing the oil refinery permanently, leaving hundreds of workers without jobs and potentially increasing fuel prices for the Northeast. 


A large, three-part explosion at an oil refinery in South Philadelphia caused massive balls of fire to shoot into the sky and homes to shake in Delaware County, PA and South Jersey. 

City officials estimate the first blast occurred at 3:20 a.m. on June 21, with two subsequent blasts occurring shortly thereafter. The explosions forced the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management to close parts of Interstate 76. Firefighters battled the blaze well into the next day, when it was extinguished on June 22.

The US Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) dispatched a four-person team to investigate the root cause of the explosion. 

Are you ready for an emergency at your facility? Find HAZWOPER training for emergency responders and site supervisors at Lion.com/HAZWOPER

Refinery workers were on site at the time of the explosion but were far enough away to avoid serious injury. Four refinery employees reported minor injuries, which were treated at the site. A shelter-in-place order for a nearby neighborhood was briefly put in place. At this time, the extent of damage to the refinery and surrounding area remains unclear.

When asked about air quality concerns, the Philadelphia Department of Health said residents are in no immediate danger, although the City Fire Department’s hazmat unit and the Department of Public Health will continue to test the air for any hazards. The refinery is the largest source of particle pollution in the Philadelphia area on any given day.

This marks the second blaze at the refinery this month. No one was injured during the first fire on June 10. The oil refinery has been described as the largest of its kind on the Eastern seaboard, producing about 335,000 barrels (14 million gallons) of crude oil per day.
 

Get RCRA Ready—When You Want, Where You Want

Across the US, states are adopting major revisions to the RCRA hazardous waste regulations, including new rules put forth in EPA’s 2016 “Generator Improvements Rule.” Lion makes it easy to keep up-to-date and meet the RCRA training mandate in the format that’s best for your needs– nationwide public workshops, convenient online courses, live webinars, and on-site training.

Browse RCRA training options here to find the course that fits your needs, your schedule, and your learning style.
 

Tags: emergency response, explosion, fire, HAZWOPER, oil refinery, Philadelphia, Philly, refinery

Find a Post

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

Lion's information is very thorough and accurate. Presenter was very good.

Melissa Little

Regulatory Manager

Much better than my previous class with another company. The Lion instructor made sense, kept me awake and made me laugh!

Marti Severs

Enterprise Safety Manager

The course was very informative and presented in a way that was easily understood and remembered. I would recommend this course.

Jeffrey Tierno

Hazmat Shipping Professional

I really enjoyed this training. Even after years on both sides of the comprehension coin, I find myself still learning! The quality of the delivery exceeded much of the training I have received in the past.

Neil Ozonur

Safety Officer

I tried other environmental training providers, but they were all sub-standard compared to Lion. I will not stray from Lion again!

Sara Sills

Environmental Specialist

Given the choice, I would do all coursework this way. In-person courses go very fast without the opportunity to pause or repeat anything.

Ellen Pelton

Chemical Laboratory Manager

The price was reasonable, the time to complete the course was manageable, and the flexibility the online training allowed made it easy to complete.

Felicia Rutledge

Hazmat Shipping Professional

I really enjoy your workshops. Thank you for such a great program and all the help Lion has provided me over the years!

George Chatman

Hazardous Material Pharmacy Technician

Excellent course. Very interactive. Explanations are great whether you get the questions wrong or right.

Gregory Thompson

Environmental, Health & Safety Regional Manager

Lion's online training is more comprehensive, has better slides, and is a superior training experience than what I would get from other trainers.

Robert Brenner

District Environmental Manager

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Hazardous materials shipment rejections bear a big cost. Use this guide to end operational and logistical disruptions that severely impact your bottom line.

Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.