The largest refinery on the East Coast is slated to close and be sold after a large explosion and fire almost a week ago devastated the Philadelphia complex.
Philadelphia Energy Solutions CEO Mark Smith said Wednesday that the company “made the difficult decision” to begin shutting down the facility, which is located directly within the city and near residential neighborhoods.
“While our teams include some of the most talented people in the industry, the recent fire at the refinery complex has made it impossible for us to continue operations,” Smith added.
The CEO said he is committed to winding down operations, preparing it to be sold. “As part of the winddown, the company will position the refinery complex for a sale and restart,” he said.
The fire is under investigation by a number of federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA said it will await the results of the investigation before making any decision on enforcement actions against the refinery.
“We will consider our federal enforcement options, if warranted, when the current Chemical Safety Board (CSB) and Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigations near completion,” an EPA spokeswoman told the Washington Examiner.
Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey said his “sympathies are with the hardworking employees who are losing their jobs.”
Toomey said he hopes a “viable option” could be found to stave off the closure, and his office intends to stay in touch with workers and management at the refinery.
