Explosion at Wynnewood refinery injures at least two people Tuesday
WYNNEWOOD — An explosion at a refinery in Wynnewood sent two people to a hospital early Tuesday, officials in Garvin County said.
At about 8:20 a.m. Tuesday, the explosion was reported at Wynnewood Refining, located near 906 S Powell Ave., about 60 miles south of Oklahoma City. The fire occurred in the refinery's gasoline hydrotreater, according to a statement from Brandee Stephens, a spokesperson for CVR Energy, the Texas-based company that owns the refinery.
A cause for the fire was not identified, but “company officials are conducting a thorough investigation into this incident,” Stephens said.
Within two hours, emergency crews had managed to contain the fire and were working to extinguish it, Garvin County Undersheriff James Richardson told The Oklahoman. Two refinery employees were injured and flown by helicopter to a hospital for treatment, Richardson said.
Stephens did not disclose the severity of the employees’ injuries or their conditions, but said “all other employees have been accounted for.”
Garvin County Emergency Management director Dave Johnson said during a news conference that the area is safe.
"There's no threat to the community; there's no issue outside of the refinery," Johnson said. "The part (of the refinery) that was impacted and secure is shut down, but the rest of the refinery is safe and running."
Johnson said nearby U.S. Highway 77 and a section of railroad were shut down briefly as a safety precaution, but both were being reopened.
The refinery is a small crude oil refinery that stores waste produced during refining operations, according to Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality records.
DEQ spokesperson Erin Hatfield told The Associated Press the agency is investigating the fire and potential hazards, but was immediately focused on making sure the fire is extinguished.
The Oklahoman previously reported several explosions at the refinery between 2006 and 2012.
Contributing: The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Explosion, fire reported at Wynnewood refinery Tuesday morning
