The massive explosion Sunday night at Sunoco's Marcus Hook oil refinery, which straddles the Pennsylvania-Delaware border, set off a raging fire that was still burning yesterday afternoon.
Neighbors are accustomed to strange odors - the refinery was fined just four days ago for emissions violations - but this 10:15 p.m. blast rocked surrounding communities and could be felt miles away.
"It shook our house," said Brad Youtz, who lives in Wilmington. "My wife knew exactly what it was, because she spent a good time of her childhood in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, she has experience with explosions."
Within minutes, the family had packed their car with essentials and were prepared to evacuate if toxic chemicals blew their way.
"You could see a big plume of smoke," Youtz said.
Emergency officials later announced that the incident, which occurred in the refinery's ethylene unit, did not pose a health threat to the community.
The cause of the fire had not been determined as of yesterday, according to Alan Brown, chief deputy fire marshal for the state of Delaware, whose office is the lead investigating agency.
"We could feel it," said Andrea Whisman, who lives in Lower Chichester, blocks from the site of the blast. "I just shut all my windows."
Whisman, a mother of four, said that she hoped that the incident would lead to greater oversight of the refinery.
"A full investigation needs to be done," she said. "Maybe it will bring some awareness and put the spotlight on them a little."
The Marcus Hook refinery was recently fined $762,150 for emitting "nearly twice the permitted limit of particulate matter and an average of four times the permitted level of ammonia from a unit at this facility for more than one year," the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said Friday.
In 2005, the company paid nearly $1 million in penalties and emissions fees for similar violations, according to the department.
But Dave Barrowclough, a roofer in Lower Chichester, said that he tries not to fret about the dangers of living near a refinery. Sunday's explosion felt so close that he initially thought a huge tree might have fallen on his truck.
"Gotta live someplace," Barrowclough said. "We can't all live out in the rural areas. At least you don't have to worry about getting shot living in the city."
Gerry Dugan, vice president of United Steelworkers Union Local 10-901, which represents operators, maintenance workers and other employees at the refinery, said that the incident shows why in-house fire marshals are so important.
During recent contract negotiations, Sunoco had initially proposed laying off some of the fire marshals and cutting back their hours, but ultimately withdrew that plan, Dugan said.
"If they weren't there, you could imagine how devastating this incident could have become," Dugan said. "That was huge, them being there.
"No one got hurt," he added.
"It's amazing."
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