N.J. officials want answers about Delaware refinery

Officials in southern New Jersey want to know why they weren’t alerted when an oil refinery in Delaware released chemicals into the air.

A power failure on Sunday night caused the Delaware City Refinery to burn off 1,000 pounds of carbon monoxide, 10 pounds of toxic hydrogen cyanide, 100 pounds of hydrogen sulfide and 500 pounds of sulfur dioxide.

 

Residents across the Delaware River in Salem County could see flames from the plant’s incinerator towers and feel rumblings during the flaring process.

Salem County administrator Earl Gage told the Today’s Sunbeam newspaper officials knew nothing about the release of toxic chemicals. Gage says Delaware officials did not submit a report to New Jersey.

Delaware environmental officials are investigating the chemical release.