Worker Injured in Fire at Martinez Refinery

A fire broke out at the Martinez Refining Company on Wednesday night, injuring a contract worker, according to refinery officials.

The incident occurred around 7:50 p.m. when a portable air compressor caught fire during refueling. Refinery personnel quickly extinguished the flames, and officials confirmed that the fire was unrelated to the facility’s process units.

The injured worker was taken offsite for medical evaluation and treatment. In response to the incident, the refinery issued a Level 1 alert through the Community Warning System and notified the relevant agencies.

Contra Costa County health officials noted that the refinery was in the process of restarting certain units that were unaffected by a previous fire on February 1. They confirmed that the equipment involved in Wednesday night’s fire was not part of that restart process.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. The refinery is required to submit a report to Contra Costa Health within 72 hours.

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