Protesters Oppose Auction, Sale Of Former Site Of Philadelphia Energy Solutions Following Last Year's Massive Refinery Explosion
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Activists are gathering in Southwest Philadelphia, hoping to send a message to companies trying to buy the former site of Philadelphia Energy Solutions. Chopper 3 was over the scene where the group is using what they're calling "civil disobedience" to dissuade companies from buying the property.
Friday is the final deadline for companies to submit bids on the refinery.
The auction is scheduled next week.
Protesters say they do not want a "polluting" company in their neighborhood.
The refinery permanently shut down after a massive explosion and fire in June 2019. Investigators say the elbow valve ruptured, releasing flammable fluid containing hydrofluoric acid, an extremely dangerous industrial chemical. PES said the fire made it impossible for them to continue operations, forcing them to layoff more than 1,000 workers.
The 150-year-old site was the largest oil refinery on the East Coast and had been processing 335,000 barrels of crude oil daily into gasoline, jet fuel, propane, home heating oil and other products.
Despite concerns from people who live near the shuttered plant, reports show no health impacts from the explosion.
