Marathon’s Martinez Refinery Hit With State Fines Over Fire That Burned Worker

California workplace regulators have issued $188,000 in penalties against Marathon Petroleum’s Martinez refinery for a series of alleged safety violations they say contributed to an explosion and fire that severely burned a worker last fall.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, cited Marathon for violating nine safety regulations in connection with the blaze that critically injured refinery worker Jerome Serrano on Nov. 19.

Three months after the fire, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board concluded that the blaze started after a refinery furnace overheated. CSB investigators said Serrano was sent to turn off part of the malfunctioning furnace when a steel tube carrying hydrogen and heated diesel ruptured and ignited the fire.

“The employer failed to immediately remove exposed employees from imminent hazards created by Furnace F-20 on the 2HDO unit,” states one of Cal/OSHA’s citations, which was categorized as “serious.”

At issue was a furnace in a hydrodeoxygenation unit, a component that’s part of the facility’s conversion from a petroleum refinery to one that produces renewable fuels.

Cal/OSHA said Marathon failed to compile enough safety information for refinery crews to respond appropriately when the unit overheated. In some cases, the agency said, workers were trained on refinery components that had yet to be installed.

United Steelworkers Local 5, which represents Marathon workers, said training for refinery units involved in the facility’s transition has been deficient.

Marathon has pushed back against that criticism and said it’s made changes to prevent a repeat of last fall’s fire.

“As part of our comprehensive process for continuously improving person and process safety across our operations, we have been and continue implementing appropriate measures to prevent a recurrence of an incident like the one last November,” the company said in a statement.

“We are currently reviewing the citations issued by Cal-OSHA, and we have posted them in their entirety at the Martinez Renewables site for employees’ awareness. We continue to keep our colleague and his family in our thoughts as he recovers,” the statement reads.

Serrano suffered third-degree burns to most of his body and has undergone a series of surgeries.

“He is improving but faces a life full of challenges,” said Tracy Scott, president of USW Local 5, in a text message.

Serrano continues to undergo skin grafts and physical therapy six months after the fire, Scott said.

His injuries have limited his ability to talk. Doctors recently installed a tracheostomy speaking valve that “has allowed him to be able to communicate his wishes about his medical care and treatment more directly with his care team,” Scott said. “He is a miracle and continues to amaze everyone.”

The fire that injured Serrano also forced more than a dozen workers to evacuate part of the Marathon facility. The incident led to the release of more than 200,000 pounds of renewable diesel fuel, according to Marathon. Smoke from the fire drifted out of the refinery, leading to an hours-long public health advisory from Contra Costa County officials.