By LEONARD GRAY

GARYVILLE – No one was injured as a result of two fires at the Marathon Ashland Refinery Sunday near Garyville.

Todd Madere, human resources representative for the plant, said a malfunctioning transformer caused an electrical fire at 4:30 a.m., which caused all processing units to shut down. This may have contributed to another fire 10 minutes later in the flange of a crude unit, which opened and sparked into flame, and took until 9:30 a.m. to finally extinguish.

All supporting units from the local volunteer fire departments in LaPlace, Garyville and Reserve responded as part of their mutual aid agreement. There were no injuries at the plant, no readings of toxic releases outside the plant and no evacuations.

Nevertheless, by 5:30 a.m., an estimated 65-70 people in the area of the plant streamed into River Parishes Hospital, complaining of headaches, nausea and burning eyes. Most were examined as a precautionary measure, according to hospital spokesman Todd Roussel, but none were admitted with any medical problems. Several simply took paperwork and left without being examined.

State and local authorities were notified of the incident, including the state Department of Environmental Quality.

By Monday, Marathon spokesman Chuck Rice was able to say the fire caused damage to some instrumentation and wiring.

At the hospital, a Marathon representative spoke with neighbors, providing them with a telephone number for claims information. The number was also given to neighbors southwest of the plant, in the path of soot from the fire.

Rice said 20 houses were reported to have soot on them. Representatives met with 17 of the homeowners – those who were home at the time – and provided them with claims number, a voucher for a carwash and a letter of apology.

Local resident Debbie Vicknair, of 149 Cureau Lane, said, “When you live next to a plant like this, you expect it.”

Only a noxious odor of crude oil came into the neighborhood, which is located on the opposite side of the plant, away from Reserve and downwind of the prevailing breezes.