Group Protesting Environmental Racism Marches To Site Of Former PES Refinery On Anniversary Of Explosion
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Some protesters marched to the site of the former PES Refinery in South Philadelphia Monday, a year after the explosion and fire that led to its closure.
The protesters, from the group Philly Thrive, want the new owner of the refinery, Hilco, to combat what they call "toxic polluting and environmental racism."
The protesters are also against tax breaks for corporations.
Hilco has planned to turn the former refinery into a mixed-use industrial park.
"We've been suffering here for 157 years with this refinery. Now it's closed, they getting ready to clean it up and build up. We want our community to have some of them jobs that's coming in here," protester Rodney Ray said.
Last year's fire at the refinery raged for more than 24 hours, sending chemicals into the air. The suspected cause was a faulty pipe.