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Air quality safe for now after Superior refinery explosion

The evacuation was lifted Friday morning by Superior Mayor Jim Paine.

SUPERIOR, Wis. - The fire is under control and an official evacuation order has been lifted in the wake of Thursday's massive refinery explosion that filled the skies over Superior, Wis. with thick and potentially dangerous smoke.

That announcement was made Friday morning by Superior Mayor Jim Paine, who reported on his Facebook page that the evacuation order would be lifted at 6 a.m. Paine says all indications are that the refinery site is safe and stable, and that the air quality is normal.

In a Friday press conference, Paine said the fire is under control and the air quality is being monitored but poses no threat as of now to residents.

"Yesterday was a very scary day and had the potential to be absolutely catastrophic," he said. "The team that really managed this crisis had prepared for this for a long time and when the crisis came, they acted with a cool head, they acted with sound judgment and in many cases, downright courage."

An official with the EPA said they are keeping a close eye on the air quality, to determine if air pollution levels rise at all.

Strong southeasterly winds forecast for Friday should help dissipate any smoke and toxic particles that remain.

More than a dozen people were reportedly injured and a large area was evacuated after the explosion Thursday morning shortly after 10 a.m.

Of those injured, six were hospitalized and seven were treated at the scene. Those hospitalized will be released on Friday, according to authorities. Husky Energy refinery manager Kollin Schade said Friday that two others, an employee and a contractor, were hospitalized overnight but were expected to be released soon.

Douglas County Emergency Management asked residents living within 10 miles south of the refinery, 2 miles to the north and 3 miles to the east or west of the refinery, to evacuate as thick black smoke continued to billow into the air. Orders from police at that time were to evacuate immediately.

Several loud booms could be heard coming from the site after a fire reignited, causing concern.

Emergency Management spokesperson Deb Stein says schools and other public facilities were also told to evacuate. The School District of Superior states they evacuated all students to an Amsoil plant at 1101 Susquehanna Ave.

A KBJR reporter tweeted photos of the long lines of parents waiting to pick up students from the evacuation site and teachers holding up signs directing parents to their children.

Essentia Health spokeswoman Maureen Talarico said Essentia Health-St. Mary's Hospital-Superior evacuated all patients Thursday afternoon, as a precaution. All patients were moved to Duluth.

"The Emergency Department will be closing as soon as patients can be transferred to Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth. Inpatient transfers will be made to St. Mary's Medical Center, as well as Benedictine Health System," a statement reads.

Credit: KARE

KARE 11's Lou Raguse said Thursday at least one of those injured was serious. That person was upgraded to good condition by Friday.

Brad Boos, president for Hunt Electric North, which had 37 workers at the refinery at the time of the explosion, said one of their employees was hurt by debris/shrapnel from the first explosion but is expected to be OK.

He said there were two projects going on at the Husky Refinery, yearly maintenance and what he calls a "flexibility" project. He said he doesn't believe anything they were working on caused the explosion. He said up to 600 people from different contractors were on site.

A contractor who was inside the building told WDIO television that the explosion sounded like "a sonic boom" that happened when crews were working on shutting the plant down for repairs.

Superior Fire Chief Steve Panger says the initial fire was out by 11:20 a.m. However, shortly after 12 p.m., the fire reignited, sending large clouds of black smoke into the air. Crews were able to extinguish the fire at approximately 6:24 p.m.

Credit: KARE

"The evacuation zones were set up based on what could happen, worst case scenario," Gordon said, adding he would not comment at this point on what could be emitted through the air.

The Duluth Entertainment Convention Center has been opened for Superior evacuees. Cots and food are being provided by Red Cross Northland.

A cause of the explosion has not been determined and will continue to be investigated. At this point, officials don't believe the injury count will increase. "The main concern is evacuating residents in the area in a safe and timely manner," said Superior Mayor Jim Paine.

Paine emphasized that the evacuations are due to potential risks, saying there is no current threat to residents.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was in Superior Thursday evening to assess the situation.

Neighbors near the oil refinery posted on Facebook the explosion shook their homes.

Allie Fuller works at the Nemadji Golf Course, which is just one mile south of the Husky Refinery. She says golfers were out on the course when the explosion occurred at 10:05 a.m. She didn't see it, but felt the blast as it rattled the clubhouse.

"It felt like a truck hit the building," she said.

Fuller said golfers were visibly shaken as they came off the course.

What is Husky Energy?

Husky Energy, who purchased the refinery in November, employs about 180 people. Erin Roth, from the Minnesota-Wisconsin Petroleum Council, told KARE's John Croman it's a relatively small refinery, pushing 50,000 barrels per day of gasoline and diesel, plus a large quantity of asphalt. That fuel is sold throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota, so there could be supply impacts.

Roth said the fire did not spread to the huge Enbridge crude oil terminal across the street. He said the refinery is currently undergoing a $30 million expansion project.

Husky Energy states all workers have been accounted for and that local air quality is being monitored.

Here is the company's full statement:

Husky Energy is responding to a fire at its Superior Refinery located in Superior, Wisconsin.

Emergency crews are on site and all workers have been accounted for. Husky’s first priority is the safety of its people, the community and emergency responders. There are injuries, which are being treated at a hospital and on site.

Regulatory authorities have been notified. Local air quality is being monitored. There is no danger to the public or local residents at this time.

Further information will be provided as it becomes available.

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