600 Report Breathing Problems From Fire

Hundreds of people complaining of breathing problems flooded hospitals after an explosion at a Chevron Corp. refinery spewed black smoke over the area.

The Thursday blast at the 97-year-old refinery on the edge of San Francisco Bay prompted Richmond officials to sound sirens, warning residents to stay indoors.

An estimated 600 people went to three area hospitals. Some said they were nauseated and had a metallic taste in their mouths or a burning sensation in their throats. Three firefighters were injured.

“This is something that obviously is of concern to Chevron. We’re taking this very seriously,” said company spokeswoman Dawn Soper. “We’ll work hard to ensure anything like this is prevented in the future.”

Adrian Stanton of the Richmond Fire Department said the smoke was considered a health hazard.

Chevron spokesman Terry Swartz said there were toxic substances in the smoke, but he downplayed the risk.

“If the question is, is there a health hazard to our employees or the community, I don’t believe there is,” he said.

Some residents complained that the explosion was just the latest health risk from Chevron and other nearby refineries.

The blast occurred a month after a fireball engulfed five workers at the Tosco Avon refinery in Martinez on Feb. 23, killing four and critically injuring the fifth.

The thick, black smoke was visible across the bay in San Francisco and Marin County. Firefighters contained the blaze in about 5 1/2 hours, although they expected to continue fighting hot spots, Soper said.

The unit where the explosion occurred--a processing and manufacturing site for gasoline and jet fuel--was shut down indefinitely for investigation.