Glycerin Tank Explosion at Imperium Renewables

Hoquiam, WA - Hoquiam Police Chief Jeff Meyers reports from the Imperium Renewables plant last night that Incident Commander Captain Chuck Bates was still at the scene as of midnight last night, and that State Department of Ecology and federal Environmental Protection Agency personnel are at the plant and have established air monitoring systems at the site.  Company personnel are also present and remain in charge of the facility and plant operations.

 

It has been determined that surrounding businesses that had been earlier evacuated as a precaution are now clear.  The street closures in the area have been cleared by police and the fire department is attempting to notify the affected companies that they may now (or in the morning) return to normal operations.

 

The fire department is in the process of standing-down their Incident Command as the situation has remained stable and has now basically progressed into a spill clean-up mode.  Representatives from CSS (an industrial cleaning company) under contract to Imperium are on the scene with experts and crews to start clean-up work at the plant upon first light.