Four workers killed in oil refinery explosion in Wales
3 Jun 2011
Pembroke Dock, UK – Four workers have lost their lives following an explosion at an oil refinery in Pembroke Dock, Wales.
The explosion at Chevron Oil Refinery is said to have occurred in a 730m3 storage tank while maintenance work was carried out. Damage was also caused to an adjacent storage tank and emergency services were alerted at 18:22.
In a joint statement, the gold commander of the incident from Dyfed Powys Police, chief superintendent Gwyn Thomas, said: ‘Paramedics have confirmed that four people lost their lives as a result of the incident.’
Assistant chief fire officer Chris Davies said: ‘The fire itself was extinguished quickly… We can confirm that any material released into the atmosphere as a result of the blast was immediately dispersed. The wind was blowing off shore, away from residential areas.’
Thomas added: ‘A police investigation is now under way, with the Health and Safety Executive, and early indications show that this was a tragic industrial incident.’
In March, Valero Energy Corp. announced that it had agreed to acquire the site, which is capable of refining 220,000 barrels of crude oil a day into petrol and other products, for $730m (£446m). Chevron said the agreement, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed during the second half of 2011.
