Wales refinery explosion inquiry gets under way

Health and Safety Executive seals off damaged parts of Chevron plant at Pembroke Dock, where four workers died Safety experts have sealed off smoke-blackened sections of the Chevron refinery at Pembroke Dock, south-west Wales, where four workers have died in a huge explosion. Three male painting contractors and a female fire-watch officer are believed to have died when a large storage tank blew up, rocking local houses and sending a plume of black smoke into the sky on Thursday evening. A fifth worker was seriously injured. The Health and Safety Executive has taken charge of the section of the large complex, which has a good safety record but is at constant risk of serious accidents. Dyfed Powys police are also investigating as well as informing relatives of the victims. Names may be released on Friday by Chevron, which has halted all but essential work on the site as a mark of respect. Core refining operations have not been affected by the loss of the tank and serious damage to a similar one alongside, but the plant’s general manager, Greg Hanggi, said that all 1,400 staff were “hugely shocked” and support and care was being arranged by the company for all who needed it. The firm is conducting its own inquiry into what happened. Wales’s first minister, Carwyn Jones, sent a message of sympathy and described the shock across the country. The Welsh secretary, Cheryl Gillan, said: “I am deeply saddened by the news and send my condolences to the families and colleagues of those who have tragically lost their lives. Our thoughts are also with the injured. “We’ve been in contact with Chevron and Milford Haven Port Authority and have asked to be kept fully informed about the investigation into this tragic event. It is essential to understand how this tragedy occurred.” The refinery dominates the town and underpins the local economy. Accidents in the dangerous processes involving volatile fuels and gases have long been part of the area’s history in spite of all precautions. The last serious one was in 1994, when an explosion and fire damaged property in Milford Haven, seven miles away. Tony Spicer, 75, a retired welder at Chevron who lives close to the plant, said: “At a refinery you are working within a time-bomb and at any time something can go wrong. I think that an accident and loss of life is inevitable from time to time. It’s not always human error, it is just something that can happen. “If the refinery finished tomorrow, a lot of people would be out of work and it would hit the local economy. Everyone from the milkman to shopkeepers would be affected,” he said. Another pensioner, Huw Morgan, 83, whose cottage at Newton is a mile from the refinery, saw the explosion from the summerhouse in his garden. He said: “There was an enormous black cloud of smoke going up like a mushroom. You could see it just mushrooming up.” Work on the nearby power station being built for npower has also stopped as a mark of respect. An npower spokesman said: “We were very sad to hear of the incident at our neighbouring Chevron site. Our thoughts are very much with the families of those involved. “The explosion has not directly affected our site or the work taking place, but together with our main contractor, Alstom, and the trade unions, we have decided to close our site for the day as a mark of respect. The site will return to normal activities tomorrow.” Mid-Wales fire and rescue service, whose 10 fire trucks had the blaze under control within an hour and a half, said that there had been no health risk from fumes and debris flung out by the explosion. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Chris Davies said: “Material released into the atmosphere as a result of the blast was immediately dispersed. The wind was blowing offshore, away from residential areas. Members of the public can be reassured that there is no ongoing risk to health as a result of the incident.” The injured worker is being treated for serious burns at the Morrison hospital in Swansea, where he was airlifted by the Wales air ambulance service. A fuel tanker close to the storage tanks was destroyed by the fire. The refinery was known as Texaco until 2005 and is one of the largest in western Europe. Earlier this year the Texan oil conglomerate Valero agreed to buy the site for $730m (£458m) and another $1bn (£611m) for assets including Chevron’s petrol stations in the UK and Ireland. Simon Hart, Conservative MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said: “This is a really important business but it is a dangerous one. But credit where credit’s due, the refinery has had a long, good record. We should not go around dishing out blame until the investigation is over.” Wales Oil Oil and gas companies Energy industry Chevron Martin Wainwright guardian.co.uk

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