Tesoro refinery closed through June
ANACORTES, Wash. -- Tesoro Corp. officials say the Anacortes refinery where seven people died in an explosion and fire will likely stay closed through June and possibly longer.
The company on Friday temporarily shut down all processing units at the site of the deadly blast.
Tesoro officials said the plant's employees will continue working at the plant during the shutdown, but didn't elaborate on whether they'll be performing modified duties during the period.
Earlier this month, the company said it would fill customer orders by using supplies from the company's refineries in other states during the closure.
The April 2 explosion claimed the lives seven employees. The blast occurred as employees were doing maintenance work on a unit that processes highly flammable liquid derived during the refining process.
It was the deadliest event at a U.S. refinery since 15 people died at a BP facility in Texas in 2005.
The cause of the blast has not been determined. But federal investigators said the victims apparently were engulfed in "a firewall" that ignited within seconds.
Federal investigators have toured the damaged area at the Anacortes refinery, and officials planned to acquire computer data of the plant's operations from Tesoro, as well as deconstruct parts of the plant to conduct tests.
Robert Hall, investigations supervisor for the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, said it will likely take months to complete the investigation.
The company on Friday temporarily shut down all processing units at the site of the deadly blast.
Tesoro officials said the plant's employees will continue working at the plant during the shutdown, but didn't elaborate on whether they'll be performing modified duties during the period.
Earlier this month, the company said it would fill customer orders by using supplies from the company's refineries in other states during the closure.
The April 2 explosion claimed the lives seven employees. The blast occurred as employees were doing maintenance work on a unit that processes highly flammable liquid derived during the refining process.
It was the deadliest event at a U.S. refinery since 15 people died at a BP facility in Texas in 2005.
The cause of the blast has not been determined. But federal investigators said the victims apparently were engulfed in "a firewall" that ignited within seconds.
Federal investigators have toured the damaged area at the Anacortes refinery, and officials planned to acquire computer data of the plant's operations from Tesoro, as well as deconstruct parts of the plant to conduct tests.
Robert Hall, investigations supervisor for the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, said it will likely take months to complete the investigation.