Damage To Homes From Refinery Blast Larger Than First Thought

Published on November 05, 2009 at 02:53PM

(WOODS CROSS)—Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators at the blast zone at the Silver Eagle Refinery at Woods Cross Thursday pieced together what caused the explosion that shook homes miles away on Wednesday. Members of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board are also at the scene walking the neighborhoods documenting how widespread the damage was from the blast. Woods Cross Mayor Kent Parry has been walking with the CSB investigators to get a better idea of how many homes are damaged. Parry said one of the big concerns the city has is that some homes might have internal damage that isn’t easily recognized. Parry spoke with refinery officials Thursday morning, asking that they send building inspectors through all the affected homes to look for problems. The mayor also said the city and refinery will have to work together to come up with a long-term plan to ensure the safety of the residents near the refinery. He added the city still hasn’t seen the reports from the fire at the refinery that took place last January. The neighborhoods around the refineries were filled with insurance adjusters Thursday, both from homeowners and the refinery. A Silver Eagle worker said it was the company’s priority to ensure needs of residents were met. A table with insurance information was set up in the neighborhood closest to the refinery to help people get information. Some home owners, living as far as three quarters of a mile away, reported broken windows and cracks in their walls from the blast.