Emergency Crews Respond To Propane Leak At Cenovus Energy

SUPERIOR, Wis.– A propane leak at Cenovus Energy refinery caused the facility to be evacuated for a short time Wednesday morning.

The Superior Fire Department was called to the refinery just before 8 a.m. to assist Cenovus’ on-site emergency response team as they used tactics to control the propane flow.

Superior Fire Chief Camron Vollbrecht said, “The Cenovus emergency response personnel were handling the propane release by fog stream of water on it to dissipate the propane so it didn’t build up concentration. Our crews did an emergency stand-by with them and also did air monitoring inside the building and outside the facility as well.”

Vollbrecht said the air monitoring was needed because propane is odorless.  The rotten-egg smell from your grill’s propane tank, for example, has an added harmless chemical as a safety feature.

“The response from the personnel on scene was appropriate and the situation was handled fairly quickly. I think the release was stopped by 9:25 or 9:30,” said Vollbrecht.

The chief said Superior firefighters work closely with the Cenovus to train for all types of emergency situations at the refinery.

Cenovus said there were no injuries, and emergency procedures went as they should have by shutting down units that caused flaring.