Local News in Brief : Fire Shuts Down Half of Arco’s Operations
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A three-alarm fire at Arco’s Carson refinery sent a huge plume of black smoke towering over the South Bay about 9 a.m. Monday and forced the second-largest refinery in Southern California to shut down almost half of its operations.
One refinery employee was treated for second-degree burns to his fingertips. No damage estimate was available, and Arco officials did not know when full operations will be resumed. About 65 firefighters, who used water and foam sprays, put out the fire in about 30 minutes.
The fire and shutdown were the second in four months at the installation. Monday’s fire and a fire July 29 both broke out in vacuum distillation units. Vacuum units distill crude under high temperatures and low pressure. The heavy oil was at 700 degrees Fahrenheit when it sprayed from a leak. It immediately caught fire when it hit the air.
Arco spokesman Al Greenstein said the fire will not interrupt gasoline deliveries.
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