Sierra Club Statement on Chevron Refinery Fire
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/08/07-4

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http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/08/07-0

Published on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 by Common Dreams

Chevron Oil Refinery Fire Clouds Bay Area in Toxic Smoke

Hundreds seek medical attention after inhaling noxious fumes

- Common Dreams staff

Smoke clouds covered large portions of the Bay Area in northern 
California hours after a fire shut down a Chevron oil refinery in the 
city of Richmond.

Various news outlets reported smoke and flames that could be seen 
for miles and hundreds of residents sought treatment for respitory 
problems, complaining of respiratory problems, according to the San 
Pablo, California-based Doctors Medical Center.

The explosions at the plant -- which produces gasoline, jet fuel, 
diesel fuel and lubricants, as well as chemicals used to manufacture 
many other products -- started Monday evening and at least two fires 
sent thick, black smoke into the sky, The San Francisco Chronicle 
reported Tuesday.

"I walked outside and saw what looked like a lot of steam coming out 
of Chevron, way more than usual. I thought they must have blown a 
boiler," Ryan Lackay, a 45-year-old employee at a chemical plant next 
door to the refinery, told Reuters.

"And then all of a sudden it just went whoosh, it ignited."

Chevron officials said the fire began at the refinery's No. 4 Crude 
Unit, according to United Press International. An inspection crew 
discovered a diesel leak in a line in the unit and the leak was 
enlarging.

"We will not speculate on the cause of this incident," Chevron's 
statement said.


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