BORDERLAND

Chemical release closes 
roads near BP refinery

9/24/2013

Roads near the BP refinery in Oregon were closed for about two hours Tuesday because of a “release” of hydrogen sulfide from the plant, authorities said.

No injuries were reported.

Oregon police said the affected roads near the plant were closed about 11:30 a.m. and opened by about 1:30 p.m. Cedar Point Road was closed at Otter Creek Road, with police crews also stationed at Bay Shore Road and Alabama Street.

Mary Caprella, a spokesman for the refinery, said about 1:30 p.m. that “nonessential” employees had been evacuated from the northern part of the plant earlier after a release of hydrogen sulfide into the atmosphere.

The release was a result of the sulfur recovery units shutting down, Ms. Caprella said.

The BP-Husky Refining Emergency Response Team evacuated employees from the northern section of the refinery as a precautionary measure, and all traffic into the refinery was shut down, she said.

The plant’s operating team was working to restore normal operations Tuesday, the spokesman said.