Local News in Brief : Fire, Smoke Blamed on Power Failure
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A power failure Friday morning at the Fletcher Oil refinery in Carson produced large flames and a billowing cloud of black smoke that was visible for miles.
Company Vice President Richard D. Erdman said the power outage knocked out controls on a refinery unit and excess gases were burned off through a flare, sending flames soaring 80 to 90 feet into the air. “It was rather spectacular because it went straight up,” Erdman said.
The 10-minute outage was caused by a battery failure in “a very critical piece of equipment” designed to supply uninterrupted power, he said.
A South Coast Air Quality Management District spokesman said the refinery will not be cited for violating air pollution laws because the smoke was the result of “a legitimate breakdown.”
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