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A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 27 June 2019

Gas prices could rise after fire-stricken refinery closes

By MARC LEVY and CATHY court last year after restruc-
BUSSEWITZ turing its debt, leaving its
Associated Press majority ownership in the
The largest oil refinery hands of investment bank-
on the East Coast said ing firms Credit Suisse Asset
Wednesday that it will close Management and Bardin
after a devastating fire last Hill.
week that set off explosions Friday’s fire at the complex
and damaged equipment, broke out early in the morn-
and analysts said consum- ing, and video showed an
ers could see gas prices rise enormous orange blast
as summer travel hits full bursting into the sky.
swing. It set off three explosions
Philadelphia Energy Solu- felt miles away as the fire
tions sent a notice to state plowed through a tangle of
labor officials that it will shut pipes carrying fuel across
the plant down Monday the complex, the company
and lay off about 1,020 has said. It happened at
workers there in the next the Girard Point refinery,
two weeks after that. The one of two at the PES com-
fire significantly damaged plex in south Philadelphia.
equipment and systems The fire erupted in a tank
at a complex that was al- containing a mixture of bu-
ready struggling financially, In this June 21, 2019 file photo, flames and smoke emerge from the Philadelphia Energy Solutions tane and propane, a fire
the company said. Refining Complex in Philadelphia. official said.
Gasoline futures prices Associated Press Investigators haven’t been
spiked Tuesday night af- some logistical shifting that rallying in recent days, he in the six months through able to go to some areas at
ter the first news of the re- could come at a cost,” said. March while its long-term the complex because they
finery’s possible closure, said Kevin Book, managing Philadelphia Energy Solu- debt grew, according to haven’t yet been assessed
and prices remained high director at Clearview Ener- tions is pursuing opportuni- reports the company files by a structural engineer,
Wednesday, according to gy Partners. ties to restart the complex in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the city fire commissioner’s
the markets research com- But while the amount of but cannot give any guar- Delaware. office said Wednesday.
pany FactSet. gasoline that will be lost antees and, as a result, “all The 150-year-old oil refining United Steelworkers, which
Motorists in the Mid-Atlantic from the refinery is sizable, layoffs are expected to be complex processes 335,000 represents the refinery
region will likely see mod- it can easily be made up permanent,” the company barrels of crude oil daily, workers, is investigating
est price increases as more by imports from Europe or said. according to PES. The re- whether the company had
summer travelers hit the elsewhere, said Jonathan U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey said in finery turns the crude into insurance coverage for a
road, AAA spokeswoman Aronson, a research ana- a statement that his office gasoline, jet fuel, propane, destroyed alkylation unit,
Jana Tidwell said in a state- lyst at Cornerstone Macro. was in touch with company home heating oil and other Ryan O’Callaghan, the
ment. “We’re not expecting any officials and that he hopes products. president of Local 10-1, told
The refinery has been an major shocks to retail gaso- that an alternative will It started as a bulk petro- The Philadelphia Inquirer. It
important source fueling line (prices),” Aronson said. emerge in coming weeks leum storage facility in 1866 would push the company
transportation in the re- Consumers are more likely to prevent the refinery from and began refinery opera- to rebuild the unit, he said.
gion, far from Gulf Coast re- to feel gasoline prices in- closing permanently. tions in 1870. “It appears they’re cashing
fineries, and “at least tem- crease due to the price of The company has shown The company emerged the check and heading for
porarily, it’s going to require crude oil, which has been a declining cash balance from federal bankruptcy the doors,” he said.q

2 more deputies fired for inaction after school shooting

response to the shooting at for about five minutes after vestigation has found.
Marjory Stoneman Doug- hearing the shots, accord- Two other deputies were
las High School in Parkland ing to body camera foot- fired earlier this month for
that killed 17 people, the age. He then drove to a neglect of duty. One of
Broward County sheriff said nearby highway instead of those was school resource
Wednesday. going toward the school. officer Scot Peterson,
At a brief news confer- Eason ran the other way who was also arrested on
ence, Sheriff Gregory Tony as gunfire continued, then charges of child neglect,
said deputies Edward Ea- spent time putting on his culpable negligence and
son and Josh Stambaugh bulletproof vest and body perjury. Peterson’s lawyer
were fired Tuesday for their camera while the carnage has said he will fight the
inaction following the Feb. continued, investigators charges. The sheriff said no
14, 2018, shooting. said. Eason was also fault- action was taken on three
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony, center, announces that two A state investigative com- ed for not writing an official other deputies who were
additional deputies have been fired as a result of the agency’s mission found that Stam- report after receiving a tip involved in the investiga-
internal affairs investigation into the mass shooting at Marjory
Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, at the Broward baugh was working an in February 2016 that the tion. Scott Israel, the sheriff
Sheriff’s Office headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Wednesday, off-duty shift at a nearby shooting suspect, Nikolas at the time, was removed
June 26, 2019. school when he responded Cruz, was making threats from office by Florida Gov.
Associated Press to reports of shots fired at on social media to shoot Ron DeSantis for similar rea-
By CURT ANDERSON al deputies have been fired the school. He got out of up a school. Tips to the FBI sons. He is appealing that
Associated Press as a result of an internal af- his truck, put on his bullet- about Cruz also were not decision before the state
MIAMI (AP) — Two addition- fairs investigation into the proof vest and took cover followed up, a separate in- Senate. q