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 is my preferred trainer for hazmat and DOT.

Jim Jani

Environmental Coordinator

The instructor kept the class engaged and made learning fun. There was a lot of information to cover but time flew by. I will definitely use Lion in the future!

Chelsea Minguela

Hazmat Shipping Professional

The online course was well thought out and organized, with good interaction between the student and the course.

Larry Ybarra

Material Release Agent

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

The instructor was very engaging and helped less experienced people understand the concepts.

Steve Gall

Safety Leader

I have attended other training providers, but Lion is best. Lion is king of the hazmat jungle!!!

Henry Watkins

Hazardous Waste Technician

The instructor's energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge of the subject make the class a great learning experience!

Brian Martinez

Warehouse Operator

The instructor was probably the best I ever had! He made the class enjoyable, was humorous at times, and very knowledgeable.

Mary Sue Michon

Environmental Administrator

This was the 1st instructor that has made the topic actually enjoyable and easy to follow and understand. Far better than the "other" training providers our company has attended!

Lori Hardy

Process & Resource Administrator

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

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Some limited quantity reliefs are reserved for specific modes of transport. Use this guide to identify which reliefs you can capitalize on, and which do not apply to your operations.

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.