Three injured in a fire at Delta’s Monroe Energy refinery in Delco
The blaze involved a process unit pump, a device that moves fluids.
A fire involving a process unit pump, a device that moves fluids, broke out Thursday morning inside the Monroe Energy refinery in Trainer, Delaware County, according to the company.
At least one person suffered burn injuries in the fire, which began about 11:30 a.m., county spokesperson Michael Connolly said. The individual had to be airlifted to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital; their condition remained unclear. Monroe later confirmed it was an employee who suffered non-life-threatening injuries that were treated off-site. The county later said two other people experienced heat-stress-related injuries, which were not expected to be critical.
“Our understanding is that it’s contained to a small location and is under control,” Connolly said.
Local police and fire could not immediately be reached for details regarding the blaze and how many people were in the facility when the fire broke out, but the large black plumes rising from the refinery raised alarm among area residents.
“As of now all we know is that there is a fire at the refinery all personnel are working on locating the fire and extinguishing it!!” read a Facebook post by the Trainer Borough Police Department from around noon.
Amid the chaos, at least one individual sought guidance on how to reach out to someone working inside in the comments of the post.
Just last week, the refinery stopped its two 100,000-barrels-per-day crude-oil distilleries because of a leak, though a Delta Air Lines spokesperson — the airline owns the refinery and uses much of it to produce jet fuel — said there was no danger to the public.
» READ MORE: Delta’s Monroe Energy refinery in Delco shuts due to internal leak
Connolly said it was unclear if the leak was connected to the fire, directing questions to Monroe.
The company, which employs about 500 workers, did not say whether the leak played a role.
“Our on-site Fire Response Team was immediately activated, deploying multiple emergency response resources, including fire and foam tanker vehicles, mobile deluge guns, and stationary high flow firewater suppression systems,” a company statement said.
The company said air monitoring showed there was no current risk to the community.
Police said air quality was at a “nuisance level” and it was recommended for people up to half a mile from the refinery to shelter in place. The county lifted the order at 3:15 p.m.
“The specific cause of the incident will be investigated,” the company said.
