Category Archives: Refinery fire

Martinez Health Advisory Ongoing, Community Alerts Provide Updates, Relief

Uncredited image from ClayCord.com.

By BenIndy, February 2, 2024

Contra Costa Health (CCH) has lifted the Shelter in Place order and stopped the community warning sirens after the Martinez Refining Company erupted in flames yesterday.

While air quality near the refinery has improved, a public health advisory remains in effect for Martinez, parts of Pacheco, and Clyde, with CCH advising residents with respiratory sensitivities to stay indoors.

READ: Martinez Health Advisory Remains in Effect Today

Investigations into the fire’s cause and effects will be extensive, given its severity. While the blaze was contained to the refinery, massive smoke columns and harmful emissions spread across Contra Costa and Solano Counties, potentially threatening the health and safety of thousands.

Community Alerts

The threat to human health and safety was somewhat contained by Contra Costa’s Community Warning System, which helped alert local residents to the immediate danger and notify them of evacuation and Shelter in Place orders.

The Bay Area Air District (BAAQMD) also issued two community warnings on Saturday to ensure the public was aware of the incident before issuing an incident report Sunday morning briefly describing the chain of events on Saturday.

The Air District responded to reports of an oily smell in Martinez around 10:45 am, which were soon linked to a fire at the Martinez Refining Company. MRC issued a Level 2 alert for the fire in its Light Oil Processing area, where Air District staff observed the flames and emissions.

READ: Air District INCIDENT REPORT for MRC Level 3 Fire (February 1, 2025)

By 5:00 p.m., Contra Costa County Health escalated the warning to Level 3, with the fire later being mostly contained and the source isolated. Level 3 incidents are classified by CCH as severe emergencies that pose immediate threats to public health or safety, requiring urgent protective actions like shelter-in-place orders or evacuations.

“Scared” in Benicia

Benicia residents also received fire and emissions warnings through the city’s own community warning system, operated by the Benicia Fire Department.

For Benicians not signed up for alerts from Contra Costa County, or agencies like the Air District, or third-party apps like FireWatch, the City of Benicia’s direct communication to residents was welcomed as a breath of fresh air.

SIGN UP: Enroll in Contra Costa’s Community Warning System

SIGN UP: News and Alerts from the Air District

SIGN UP: Learn About Benicia’s Community Alert System (through Alert Solano)

Some Benicians noted they may not have even known about the potential health risks without the City’s alerts, let alone known how to respond. Others commented that the notification offered not much more than temporary peace of mind, although that peace of mind was appreciated.

“At first, I honestly didn’t think the city was going to do anything at all about it,” said one resident, who requested anonymity for fear of being accused of politicizing the incident in light of Benicia City Council’s upcoming status report regarding adopting a local Industrial Safety Ordinance.

The resident continued: “I didn’t think I could expect that kind of thing from Benicia. I feel like it’s ‘minimize, minimize, forget, repeat’ whenever anything bad happens here. But that text meant I slept okay at home last night, with my family.”

Martinez Refinery blaze now two-alarm fire – injuries, commercial damage reported

Uncredited image from ClayCord.com.

By BenIndy, February 1, 2024

The incident commander for the fire that broke out at the Martinez Refinery this Saturday afternoon has reportedly called for a second alarm.

According to Claycord.com, a group that posts local breaking news:

Shell Ave and Marina Vista Ave are being closed in the area. One individual, a member of refinery staff, is being transported by ambulance. We’re also now hearing that multiple people in the area, heard two explosions immediately prior to the large smoke plume.

READ: Public Health Advisory for Martinez, parts of Pacheco & Clyde

 

Martinez Refinery reportedly ablaze, public health advisories issued

Fire crews were sent to fight flames and an apparent explosion at the Martinez Refining Company near Shell Avenue and Marina Vista Avenue. | Mercury News.

By BenIndy, February 1, 2024

A fire has reportedly broken out at the Martinez Refinery this Saturday afternoon, according to officials with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

Crews have responded to the scene. The cause of the smoke and flames is currently unknown. No injuries have been reported.

A public health advisory has been issued for Martinez and Pacheco; individuals with respiratory issues may be impacted.

READ: Public Health Advisory for Martinez, parts of Pacheco & Clyde

Rick Hurd from the Bay Area News Group reported to The Mercury News that the Martinez Refinery Company confirmed that the refinery had been evacuated and all refinery personnel are accounted for. Hurd also noted witnesses reporting “uncontrolled flames” shooting at least 200 feet in the air, with billowing black smoke moving east. Reports of at least one explosion have not been confirmed.

The company has reported the incident as a Level 2 notification — which include a hazardous materials release or potential release that is expected to have “off-site consequences and possibly adverse health consequences.”

This post has been updated to reflect new information.

“It sounded like a bomb went off”: Residents react after White Lake refinery explosion

[Note from BenIndy: Another day, another refinery explosion. Take  a minute to review the drone footage available below. Particularly striking in this article was the resident quoted as admitting that she and many of her neighbors were unaware that they lived in close proximity to a refinery. This is not uncommon in refinery towns, including Benicia. What if there had been an urgent need to evacuate nearby residential neighborhoods? Situations like this demonstrate just how important clear, timely, and accurate communication between industrial/corporate interests, local government, local media, and the general public is to protecting the health and safety of refinery-town residents. An informed and engaged community is a safer and healthier community.]

CBS Detroit, by Luke Laster, November 26, 2023

WHITE LAKE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – White Lake police and township fire officials are working to discover the cause of an explosion at a refinery plant in White Lake Friday night.

It happened shortly before 10:30 p.m. in the area of Young Road and Bogie Lake Road.

It took a few hours before crews put it out, and White Lake Township’s fire chief, John Holland, says they don’t yet know what caused the flames.

“Everything shook. I was afraid. I didn’t know what the heck was happening,” says White Lake resident Chelsea Vanhorn.

Vanhorn lives in Cedarbrook Estates, a mobile home park just over a mile away from the fossil fuel recovery plant owned and operated by Hound Resources.

“My plants fell off my shelves. I thought we got bombed,” Vanhorn said.

Following what Vanhorn said was the explosion that shook her home, other residents of the mobile home park found themselves outside with their phones rolling around 10:30 p.m. Friday. It was then that she caught a second explosion on camera.

She says she didn’t even know a refinery was nearby. Many of her neighbors didn’t know either.

“We all go down by the clubhouse, you know. Try to follow it to see what it is, and it was a huge fire. The biggest fire I’ve seen. It was huge and the blackest smoke. It was so black. It was very scary,” Vanhorn said.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.