State says open valve led to oil spill at refinery (Coffeyville, KS)

[deminks]

http://www.katc.com/global/story.asp?s=6856998

COFFEYVILLE, Kan. (AP) - Kansas health and environment officials say an open valve on refinery storage tank is responsible for an oil spill that damaged hundreds of Coffeyville homes during flooding four weeks ago.

Coffeyville Resources, which owns the refinery, admits that a storage tank overflowed as floodwaters from nearby Verdigris River swamped the refinery.

An estimated 71,000 gallons of crude oil escaped and flowed downriver and into surrounding neighborhoods.

But refinery officials declined to comment on the Kansas Health and Environment Department's findings. They say they're waiting for results of their own inspection.

(end snip) This is one of the reasons our gas prices went up here locally to almost $3.50/gal. I wanted to post in case this disappears in the near future. This is all over the local morning TV news.

WaPo article here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/29/AR2007072901208.html

An oil spill that damaged hundreds of homes during a flood began after the valve on a refinery storage tank was left open, state health officials said.

An estimated 71,000 gallons of crude oil escaped from a storage tank as floodwaters from the Verdigris River swamped the refinery and flowed into neighborhoods July 1.

The open valve allowed oil to continue flowing until it spilled into the floodwaters, the state Department of Health and Environment told the Wichita Eagle. Department officials do not know why the valve was left open, said department spokesman Joe Blubaugh.

"That would be a question to ask the company," he said.

Refinery officials said they are awaiting the findings of their own inspection and declined to comment on the department's report.