Strong odor caused by equipment failure at Delco refinery, officials say
The odor, described as smelling like sulfur or gasoline, happened after a power outage at Monroe Energy.
Hey, don’t blame Philly.
The strong odor some residents of Delaware County and northern Delaware awoke to Thursday morning was not a lingering effect of Philadelphia’s now-fading trash strike. Instead, it appears to have come from a brief equipment failure at a Trainer refinery.
A power outage hit Monroe Energy just after 6 a.m., causing an emergency shutdown of refinery units, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The shutdown caused the plant’s flare stack to emit visible smoke and flames, which the Woodlyn Volunteer Fire Company described as a “burn-off.”
The odor, described as smelling like sulfur or gasoline, followed.
Power was later restored, and the flare stopped smoking about 7:40 a.m., the agency added. Monroe Energy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The incident resulted in calls to emergency services around the area, prompting local fire companies to investigate, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control said. Among them was the Talleyville Fire Company in Delaware, which said it received about 20 calls in one half-hour period about the odor. While alarming, the odor did not present a hazard to those who caught wind of it, the Wilmington Fire Department said.
As a precaution, officials recommended that residents with respiratory issues turn off air conditioners, close doors and windows, and stay inside until the odor dissipated.
“If there is any concern about an odor either outside or inside, do not hesitate to call 911,” Wilmington Fire Department said.