On 16 February 2007, at approximately 1405 hrs an explosion occurred at the Valero Refinery in Sun Ray, Texas. The PRP is Valero Energy Corp. of San Antonio, TX. The site is located in a mostly rural area approximately 10 miles north east of the town of Dumas, TX. The explosion occurred in the propane de-asphalting (PDA) unit which also caused damage to the facility's fire fighting system. The incident resulted in the injury of multiple plant workers who were transported to University Medical Center located in Lubbock, TX.
In the morning of 17 February 2007, the fire remained subdued. At approximately 1440 hrs, the fire at the initial explosion site reignited. The cause of the flare up was determined to be the instability of the vessels and piping in the damaged area. It is believed that the black plume was associated with the burning of insulation material and diesel. Additionally, a new sulfuric acid spill resulted from the reignition and sodium bicarbonate is being used to neutralize the acid at the outfall to the stormwater pond. The fire is still on-going but with a very limited plume.
The RP contracted with Williams Fire and Hazard Control and they were on-site prior to the reignition. Williams was contracted to assist the RP's own fire fighters in an effort to extinguish the fire.
EPA and TCEQ continue to do fenceline monitoring with no significant concentrations of VOCs or H2S detected. The plume from this most recent fire event was travelling south similar to the previous plume as the winds are out of the north. The plume is travelling in an unpopulated rural area.
The RP's planned activities are to extinguish the fire, continue on-site and off-site air monitoring, continue monitoring for asbestos as asbestos containing piping insulation was disturbed during the explosion, monitor the volume of fire fighting water being contained within the stormwater retention ponds, and maintain the volume of available fire water for fire fighting activities.
EPA and TCEQ will continue to provide off-site air monitoring support while off-site releases continue.
The RP will continue its efforts to extinguish the fire and stablize the current situation.
Fire reignited at approximately 1440 hrs. Fire continues to burn.
|
