On 12 May 2006, at 1420 hours, a Liquid Petroleum Gas fire occurred at a refinery owned and operated by Wynnewood Refining Company, the potential responsible party (PRP), located in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. The fire occurred at the hydrofluoric (HF) acid alkylation unit in the facility and within the unit there are 3 Cesium 137 low radiation sources.
Local responders issued a 1 mile perimeter evacuation that included adjacent neighborhoods and Highway 77. The all clear was given at 2130 hours on once the EPA air monitoring established no release off-site. Adjacent to the HF Unit is a BSNF railway which has been closed until the incident is secure. BSNF officials joined unified command to provide technical expertise to the railway and additional air monitoring sources. There was 1 individual that was taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion. No other injuries were reported.
Wynnewood Refinery established mutual aid with Wynnewood Fire Department, Pauls Valley Fire Department, and Valero Refinery in Ardmore. At its height, 45 responders were on-site. Fire fighting water utilized to contain the fire was initially supplied from Arbuckle Lake through a gravity pulled water-line. Runoff water was eventually treated and recirculated to use for firefighting and vapor suppression. Runoff water was contained within the facility in a retention pond.
During the week of the incident (prior to the incident), OSHA had been conducting an unrelated PSM complaint inspection from a union on safety concerns. Due to the incident, OSHA sent representatives to the scene to further investigate the cause of the incident. Wynnewood Refinery is a RMP / FRP regulated facility.
On 01 June 2006, EPA and EPA representatives revisited Wynnewood Refinery to evaluate current conditions. According to the PRP, representitives from Thermo-Electron removed damaged equipment containing low-level Cesium 137 radiation sources from a damaged section of the alkylation unit. Other source containing refinery equipment remains intact.
On 22 May 2006, the PRP and PRP contractors began deinventorying and neutralizing HF from affected piping associated with the alkylation unit. On 26 May 2006, after PRP air monitoring results indicated that no concentration of HF was detected outside of the affected piping and PRP personnel observed no visible HF vapors, the PRP ceased emergency response actions. All fires caused by the incident had already been extinguished.
Following the initial site visit of EPA, PRP personnel performed continuous air monitoring within the exclusion zone of the affected portion of the refinery until PRP emergency response actions were ceased. The PRP continues with continuous air monitoring within the alkylation unit while repairs are performed.
Wastewater produced from firefighting and vapor suppression activities is currently being treated at the Wynnewood Refinery wastewater treatment unit.
Wynnewood Refinery will continue to coordinate emergency response action plans with City of Wynnewood.
OSHA continues to actively investigate the cause of the incident.
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