Pay close attention to the break in the smoke plumes on the right hand side of the screen…
Today, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final investigative report into a massive fire and explosions at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Refinery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that occurred in June 2019. The incident occurred when a corroded pipe elbow ruptured, releasing process fluid into the refinery’s hydrofluoric acid (HF) alkylation unit. During the incident, over 5,000 pounds of highly toxic hydrofluoric acid (HF) were released, a 38,000-pound vessel fragment launched off-site and landed on the other side of the Schuylkill River, and an estimated property damage loss of $750 million resulted.
The CSB’s investigation identified several safety issues which contributed to the incident.