SUPERIOR, Wis. — A Superior refinery is beginning to rebuild after a 2018 explosion and fire that injured dozens of people.
Husky Energy has received the permit approvals it needs to start rebuilding after the massive April 26, 2018 refinery explosion. The work is expected to begin immediately and continue over the next two years, with a return to full operations in 2021.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) determined that the fire was caused by an explosion that sent a piece of debris into a storage tank of asphalt. The tank was punctured and spilled hot asphalt, which ignited two hours later.
The explosion injured 36 people, according to the CSB report, including 11 workers. A large part of Superior was evacuated as chemicals burned and flames leaped into the sky over the city.
A CSB report on the explosion itself found that the suspected cause was a valve with internal wear that "failed to separate oxygen and hydrocarbons, allowing a flammable mixture to form."
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Superior Refining Company, which is owned by Husky, for eight serious safety violations related to the explosion and fire. OSHA said the refinery "failed to control the use and release of highly hazardous chemicals."
OSHA fined the refinery $83,000, roughly .03 percent of Husky's first-quarter earnings that year.
Husky is investing more than $400 million to rebuild the refinery, and it has said that it will continue to use the highly toxic chemical hydrogen fluoride. The mayors of Superior and adjacent Duluth, Minnesota, called on Husky Energy to remove hydrogen fluoride from its operations just days after the explosion.
A class action lawsuit was filed against Husky and Superior Refining in the fall of 2018.
