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

Our instructor was very dynamic and kept everyone's interest. Hazmat shipping can be a dry, complicated topic but I was engaged the entire time.

Kimberly Arnao

Senior Director of EH&S

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

This course went above my expectations from the moment I walked in the door. The instructor led us through two days packed with useful compliance information.

Rachel Stewart

Environmental Manager

Lion's training was by far the best online RCRA training I've ever taken. It was challenging and the layout was great!

Paul Harbison

Hazardous Waste Professional

Very witty instructor, made the long times sitting bearable. One of the few training courses I can say I actually enjoyed.

John Hutchinson

Senior EHS Engineer

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

Melissa Little

Regulatory Manager

Lion provided an excellent introduction to environmental regulations, making the transition to a new career as an EHS specialist less daunting of a task. Drinking from a fire hose when the flow of water is lessened, is much more enjoyable!

Stephanie Weathers

SHE Specialist

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

Lion is my preferred trainer for hazmat and DOT.

Jim Jani

Environmental Coordinator

I have over 26 years of environmental compliance experience, and it has been some time since I have attended an environmental regulations workshop. I attended this course as preparation for EHS Audits for my six plants, and it was exactly what I was looking for.

Frank Sizemore

Director of Regulatory Affairs

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Use this guide to spot which tanks and substances are regulated under EPA's Underground Storage Tank program, and which are excluded as of October 2018.

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.