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WOODS CROSS — Officials were working Friday to clean up after an oil spray Thursday coated surrounding cars, roads and buildings.
Pressure built up in a fuel oil tank Thursday evening, causing a break in the top of the tank and releasing 8,946 gallons of oil in the form of spray. The incident impacted areas southeast of the refinery's East Tanks farm, located north of 500 South and west of I-15.
No one was injured in the incident.
"The good part about it is nobody got hurt, said Michael Astin of Holly Refining and Marketing Company. "There was no release of toxic material, so it's basically a spill. It's a mess that needs to be taken care of."
The southbound I-15 off-ramp at 500 South experienced fuel oil deposits. Astin said trucks loaded with sand were covering roadways. The company has also contacted officials with the Utah Department of Transportation and the nearby railroad, who will handle the cleaning of roads and railroad tracks.
"The fuel oil is not hazardous, but it leaves heavy oil residue that is slippery and messy," Astin said. "We're putting material down on the surfaces that will absorb the oil. We're having cleaning companies come that can at least hot pressure wash the areas."
The company is also working to prevent any residue from washing into nearby sewers.
"We can't allow it to run off into the drains, so we'll be collecting that material just so we can clean up the whole area," Astin said. "It will take a while to clean up, but we'll get it done."
The cause of the overpressure is under investigation. Astin said the tank was one that is often used to handle heavy materials and oil had been flowing into the tank for about 24 hours without incident.
"We're speculating that it somehow got water in it," he said. "Because (the oil) is a hot material, around a couple hundred degrees, any water that hits it would vaporize, causing a pressure build."
Oil flow to the tank was halted after the incident.
Refinery employees were walking the area Friday morning to try and identify all affected areas. Anyone who was impacted has been asked to contact the refinery to arrange a cleanup through the refinery care line, 801-560-5511.
"Anyone that has been impacted by this oil, let us know so we clean it or replace what we can replace," Astin said.
The company is hoping to locate and aid those impacted before the holiday weekend, but property owners who were impacted can contact the refinery at any time. It is unclear how long the cleanup will take.
