MELVINDALE, Mich. (AP) -- An explosion blamed on the widespread power outage rocked the Marathon Ashland oil refinery and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people living nearby.
The explosion Thursday evening was in one of the plant's smoke stacks, which burn off gases produced by the facility, Melvindale Fire Chief Sam Pedron said.
The power outage, which spread across the Northeast and through parts of Canada, Ohio and Michigan, affected a pump at the complex, which produces gasoline as well as jet and other fuels, he said. That caused a buildup of pressure which ultimately triggered the explosion, he said.
Unsure if another explosion was possible or if the gasses were toxic, officials evacuated one square-mile around the plant and closed Interstate 75 where it runs beside the facility.
Pedron said a more powerful blast could have rained sheet metal and other parts on the surrounding neighborhood, about 10 miles southwest of Detroit.
Chuck Rice, spokesman for Marathon Ashland, said Friday that the blast didn't cause any fires at the plant. Any emissions seen coming from the facility's smoke stacks were essentially steam, he said. A representative of the Environmental Protection Agency's emergency response section was at the scene.
Henry Zalasko, 56, was at his home, which had no power because of the blackout, about a quarter-mile from the refinery when state police pounded on his door. Zalasko said he was told he and his family must leave immediately and seek refuge at the city's ice rink.
He and about 200 other people sat inside on chairs, tried to sleep on the floor or remained in their cars in the rink's parking lot, waiting for answers. While his wife and two children tried to sleep, Zalasko propped a four-inch TV on the hood of his car to keep up with the news.
``It's been miserable,'' said Linda Wahl, 60, who lives just a few blocks from the refinery. ``It's a nightmare.''
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