COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (KDVR) — Suncor said refinery personnel responded to a vapor release while maintenance activities were being performed on equipment at the Commerce City refinery on Tuesday.
“Operations immediately responded, and the leak was quickly contained. As part of our response plan, the refinery alarm was sounded. All workers in the unit were accounted for, and there have been no reported injuries. After determining it was safe to do so, the all-clear was given,” Suncor explained.
The Commerce City Police Department said Brighton Boulevard was closed from 64th Avenue to York Street for a short time but has reopened.
Suncor said it notified the appropriate response and regulatory agencies, including the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
“We are taking this situation seriously. Suncor’s top priority is ensuring the health and safety of people in our workplace and in the communities where we operate,” Suncor shared.
Suncor said that during the incident, the new fence line air monitoring system did not indicate any levels above the detection limit for all compounds measured.
On Feb. 9, Suncor warned of increased flaring, noise and traffic while efforts to repair and begin a “progressive restart” of Plant 2 were underway.
Suncor announced its closure in late December, blaming extreme winter weather for equipment damage. Around that time, fires were reported, hurting two employees.
Alarms were again triggered at the shuttered refinery on Jan. 31 because of a gas leak. Suncor has said that should not affect the reopening timeline.
The company said it continues to investigate what led to the shutdown. The December incidents happened as Colorado saw a wave of extreme arctic cold that also affected a large swath of the U.S.