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Refinery’s
towering flame
seen miles away

Chevron says safety devices at
Campbell Park worked; HFD
says toxic gases blew
out to sea

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By Janine Tully
Star-Bulletin

A malfunction in a smokestack at the Chevron oil refinery at Campbell Industrial Park yesterday caused flames to shoot about a hundred feet into the air, creating worries in neighboring communities.

"We received numerous calls from Makakilo residents about the flame," said Fire Department spokesman Capt. Richard Soo.

Chevron officials were alerted at 12:35 p.m. and immediately called the Fire Department, police and the Department of Health, said Albert Chee, Chevron public relations manager.

"Our operations people responded immediately and (were) able to quickly stabilize the unit," Chee said.

At no time did the plant have to shut down or people have to evacuate, and no one was injured, Chee said.

He also stressed that the community was never in danger of toxic chemicals.

The large flame, which could be seen miles away, was caused by a pressure build-up triggering a series of safety devices, Chee said.

Flares -- essentially smokestacks that emit gases and flames -- always have a flame, he said.

"That's the way they release pressure," he said. "It's a safety device that is meant to combust excess gases that are byproducts of the refining process."

This flame was just larger than usual, Chee said.

Toxic chemicals released are burned up during the combustion process, he explained, and in this case, blown off to sea. So the emissions never posed a risk to the community, Chee said.

It is not known if the excess emissions violated standards set by the Health Department, and there will be a follow-up investigation, Chee said.

Soo said hydrocarbons were released into the atmosphere, but the winds were blowing the toxic chemicals offshore.

Some scrub brush next to the plant, on Chevron property, caught fire but was quickly extinguished by firefighters, Soo said.

He said the heat emanating from the surrounding area might have caused the bushes to ignite.