Martinez Refining Company released an update Friday on its investigation into the cause of a refinery fire on Feb. 1, sharing information about the public health impact of billowing smoke stacks over northern Contra Costa County.
The latest update provides details about the company’s inquiry into the fire which led to a brief shelter-in-place order from public health and safety agencies that were concerned about particulate matter released from the refinery. The update also warns the public of intermittent flaring as refinery units are “drained and purged.”
“We are working urgently and thoroughly to identify the root cause(s) and take appropriate corrective actions,” the Martinez Refining Company news release stated. “Contra Costa Health has requested certain information regarding the products that were released or caught fire during the incident, and MRC is working expeditiously to meet the deadline of February 10, 2025, for providing that information.”
An initial 72-hour incident report released on Wednesday provided key details about the source of the gas leak and the cause of the fire, including air quality readings during the incident which showed “no significant” levels of air contaminants from the blaze. The contaminant was identified as less than 500 pounds of sulfur dioxide, a gaseous air pollutant associated with respiratory issues and irritation to the eyes, nose and throat.
The report speculates that hydrocarbon gas leaked from the refinery’s process units when two workers opened equipment at approximately 1:30 p.m. in preparation for scheduled maintenance.
“The two workers immediately evacuated the area, and the material subsequently caught fire, which spread within the immediate vicinity,” the 72-hour incident report states.
Martinez Refining Company officials notified the Bay Area Air District at 1:41 p.m. and called Contra Costa County Health Service Hazard Material Programs at 1:48 p.m. for a level 2 public health alert calling for sensitive populations to avoid air outside.
At 3:22 p.m., Martinez Refining Company administrators contacted Oil Spill Prevention and Response. Details of the call were not immediately available in the report.
At 3:53 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard was notified of the incident and sent half a dozen personnel to Martinez Refining Company’s administration building. Contra Costa Health Services department upgraded its public health alert to a Level 3 shelter-in-place order approximately an hour later for the portions of Martinez to the north and east of the refinery as public defense sirens blared.
The department called off the shelter-in-place order at approximately 9:15 p.m., but a public health advisory remained in place for the affected areas over Saturday night. The latest report does not provide information about why officials issued a shelter-in-place order three hours after the fire ignited.
Friday’s update from the refinery company said that flaring may continue in the coming weeks while the investigation continues. The new release also states that “refinery operating units have been shut down,” except for required utility and environmental systems.
“Flares are an essential part of a refinery’s integrated, engineered safety systems, which are designed to safely manage excess gases and pressure through efficient, effective combustion,” the news release from Martinez Refining Company states. “MRC will continue to work cooperatively with all agency inspections and investigations.”
The city of Martinez released a public statement Friday morning calling for Contra Costa County to make Martinez Refining Company protect the community and the public’s health.
“We are asking the county and regulating agencies to hold the refinery to a higher standard, both for the safety of its workers and the safety of the community,” the statement said.