Published: August 7th, 2012 at 5:34 am ET
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Emphasis Added
Source: Richmond Confidential
Residents of Richmond were advised to “shelter in place”, an order often given during refinery accidents to shield against possible exposure to toxic chemicals or smoke. Sulfuric acid and nitrogen dioxide were released during the incident, according to a filing with the California Emergency Management Agency.
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A Reuters reporter who lives nearby said he heard some loud bangs and a siren as the fire erupted, but a Chevron spokesman denied reports of an explosion.
Source: Richmond Confidential
A fire engulfed part of a Chevron oil refinery in Richmond Monday evening, sending large plumes of smoke and chemical fumes into surrounding residential areas. Large plumes of dark smoke with a pungent smell of chemicals hovered over Richmond at sunset, as fire sirens wailed and streets were cleared.
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The sky appeared yellow due to the smoke in the air.
A massive fire at the Chevron refinery in Richmond sent thick black smoke wafting across the Bay Area sky Monday evening, and more than 160,000 people were warned to stay inside.
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Shortly after the fire broke out at 6:15 p.m., flames and two large plumes of black smoke rose five or six miles into the sky, drifting across the bay. Chevron spokesman Lloyd Avram said no explosions were reported on-site, however witnesses reported hearing at least four loud blasts.
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Witnesses described a smell of burning plastic, with residents as far as Oakland and Benicia reporting the foul odor.
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Flames were visible from the Bay Bridge and from Jack London Square in Oakland.
Smoke and flames pouring from stacks at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, Calif. on Monday, Aug. 6, 2012 were easily visible miles away in San Francisco.
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Even hours after the fire, witnesses reported smells of burning plastic in the air, with residents as far as Oakland and Benicia reporting the foul odor. The county health department was monitoring air quality and said nothing harmful had been detected in the atmosphere so far.
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Crews are working to contain a massive fire at the Chevron refinery in Richmond but thick black smoke continues to waft across the Bay Area sky and more than 160,000 people are being warned to stay inside.
The fire broke out at 6:15 p.m. and flames and two large plumes of black smoke rose five or six miles into the sky, drifting across the Bay. Witnesses reported hearing at least four large explosions and a seeing a fire ball in the sky.
Witnesses said the air smells of burning plastic, with the smell wafting for miles.
Published: August 7th, 2012 at 5:34 am ET
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sending...
If there were a forest fire or houses on fire from it, they would evacuate the people. But when there is a fire with chemical laden smoke that can kill you from a refinery fire …you are told to stay in place…
No evacuation order,…to limit what the company would be responsible to pay for.
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Same with the changes to the Nuclear evacuation rules. Now they can tell you to stay in place….
"Without fanfare, the nation's nuclear power regulators have overhauled community emergency planning for the first time in more than three decades, requiring fewer exercises for major accidents and recommending that fewer people be evacuated right away."
"If it were me, I would evacuate" even without an official go-ahead, said Cheryl L. Chubb, a nuclear emergency planner with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, who is critical of the changes.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/16/ap-impact-evacs-and-drills-pared-near-nuke-plants/
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Nice job capturing all those individual stories Admin – that's hard work. Thanks!
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Dangerous industries must be replaced with eco-friendly ones.
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Two sources of fire..in the plant..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYQSzdc2fUk
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PS..My office still runs HOT…lol
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A refinery representative made clear today there was no explosion, only 'ignition' based on the report of one worker at the plant. Many people outside the plant reported 3 explosions/booms. Also, there was a recent issue at the plant, not mentioned in today's news:
"Chevron Corp.'s (CVX) Richmond, Calif., refinery on Aug. 1 reported a flaring event to California state environmental regulators after a compressor failure caused a release of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Its impact on operations wasn't clear. Chevron said the refinery would continue to supply product to its customers and doesn't otherwise comment on day-to-day activities."
Source: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/news/article.asp?docKey=600-201208021512DOWJONESENRGYSVC002528-1¶ms=timestamp||08/02/2012%203:12%20PM%20ET||headline||Refinery%20Status%3A%20Fire%20at%20HollyFrontier%20Tulsa%20Shuts%20Hydrotreater||docSource||Dow%20Jones%20and%20Company%2C%20Inc.||provider||ACQUIREMEDIA||bridgesymbol||US;TSO&ticker=TSO:US
Anyone living near a refinery or nuclear plant is now considered to be collateral damage in the event of a toxic release. If you die in the process, your relatives will sue for the loss. If you are maimed or made sick by contamination, you'll be fighting corporate lawyers. Regulations and monitoring dangerous technologies should be in the hands of govt but political lobbying is ruining our checks and balances. Where is the incentive to clean up these…
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