Southwest Detroit – A power outage at Marathon’s Detroit refinery has led to operating conditions that made flaring necessary, the company said Sunday.
Flares are safety devices that allow for the safe combustion of excess gases under certain operating conditions, according to Marathon.
Recommended Videos
Refinery personnel are conducting off-site air monitoring, the company said.
As a precaution, a section of Schaefer Road from I-75 to Dix Road is closed. Local law enforcement is managing the closure.
Marathon said the company’s top priorities are the safety of employees, responders and the community, as well as limiting any environmental impact.
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield said her administration is monitoring the situation closely.
“EGLE (the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) and refinery personnel are conducting air quality monitoring both on-site and in the surrounding neighborhoods. At this time, monitoring has not detected gas readings of concern,” the statement said.
Local 4 reached out to EGLE and a spokesperson said the agency is sending all media inquiries to the city of Detroit.