On February 18, 2008, ALON USA reported a fire and explosion at the Big Spring Refinery to the National Response Center (NRC). The Alon USA Refinery is located on the northeast edge of the city of Big Spring at Highway I-20 and Refinery Road, in Howard County, Texas. The refinery is a basic fuels refinery serving west Texas by processing crude from the area, and shipping refined products via several pipelines. The initial explosion was reportedly felt for several miles around, shattering or cracking glass windows, walls, and doors. Initially the fire was reported to have started in the propylene plant, but it also threatened the alkalyzation plant where hydofluoric acid (HF) is used and stored. A large, black smoke plume rose up to 6500 feet in the atmosphere, and drifted slowly to the east northeast away from Big Spring. Refinery, Texas Department of Public Safety, Howard County Emergency Management, and Big Spring and Midland Fire departments responded to the incident. Highway I-20 was closed, and it was also reported limited evacuation of the immediate area and nearby Sid Richardson Plant was conducted.
Upon notification by Alon to the NRC, EPA immediately mobilized OSC Richard Franklin, EPA START-3 contractors, and the ASPECT plane to conduct on-scene monitoring and air monitoring at the site. Air monitoring conducted by EPA, both on the ground by START and in the air using ASPECT (which utilizes IR technology) showed no detections of hazardous chemicals offsite refinery facility grounds. Although there was a potential for drainage from the refinery run-off to flow offsite and into Beals Creek, none was observed. All run-off was directed to, and contained by the refinery water treatment and evaporation pond. Beals Creek flows eventually to the Colorado River.
ALON reported five injuries associated with the release, although none were life-threatening.
