Anacortes Refinery Explosion Under Probe

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WASHINGTON (GaeaTimes.com)- The huge blast at Anacortes oil refinery at Washington which is owned by Tesoro Corp has created sensation among the media entities and federal authorities. The explosion at the oil refinery came as a spoilsport for the residents who were gearing up to celebrate Good Friday with enthusiasm. It has claimed 5 lives so far while two critically injured victims are still battling for life. As one can understand the explosion has taken a toll on the production capacity of the plant. It is not operating at its maximum capacity now, the company has confirmed. The blaze took place at the plant’s highly inflammable naphtha unit which explains its severity.

After the Anacortes plant was hit by the massive explosion the authorities have decided to conduct a thorough test on other units of the refinery. If necessary, they may decide to shut down other units. A team of 6 investigators were sent to the place by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. Besides, the Washington Department of Labor and Industries has also launched another probe into the matter. When the explosion took place, the plant had undergone maintenance and workers were engaged in a process to resume operation. Earlier the Anacortes plant of Tesoro Corp drew flak when it was found to breach 17 safety norms.

The new explosion can prove to be costly for the company and if the investigation finds any fault on its part the lawsuit can be very severe. The Anacortes refinery explosion once again proves that oil refineries need to maintain stringent safety measures.