Police Give 'All Clear' After Mandatory Evacuation Due To Explosion At Marathon Refinery
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - 8:37 P.M. Police in Melvindale are giving residents the 'all clear' to return to their homes after a mandatory evacuation order was issued due to an explosion at a near-by oil refinery.
A spokesman for Marathon Petroleum says no injuries have been reported after a fire broke out at a refinery in Detroit.
Shane Pochard tells The Associated Press the fire occurred Saturday evening in one of the small tanks at the Marathon Petroleum refinery. He says the fire has been put out. Pochard says there are no reports of any injuries to employees or contractors.
6:10 P.M. Reports of an explosion at the Marathon Detroit Refinery as well as a mandatory evacuation order was put into effect for the area per Melvindale police.
Reports of the explosion came in from several listeners to WWJ Newsradio 950 just before 6 p.m. and it appears that one of the tankers on the site may have exploded.
Marathon Detroit Refinery told WWJ that they were trying to get the situation under control but could not comment further.
"Police have blocked Fort Street off by I-75 south ... oh my goodness ... there's an ambulance out here, a fireman standing outside, you know, it doesn't look like they are trying to get close. They are not trying to go in there," said one tipster calling in to WWJ.
The refinery is on the borderline of Melvindale - the fire department there said they have not been asked to respond as the explosion took place within the refinery.
A HazMat team has been dispatched from the Detroit Fire Department and is on the scene.
Residents in the area were sent to a local community center.
Stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 for more on this news story.
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