Authorities in Detroit have said a leak, which sent out a cloud of gas, has been contained at the Marathon refinery.
Television station WXYZ reported that an oil leak at the facility, which sits on the line separating Detroit and suburban Melvindale, prompted police to close roads surrounding the plant Thursday afternoon. The station said some third-party employees were evacuated from the plant, but Marathon employees were not.
"The Detroit Homeland Security and Emergency Management Office was notified at 1:38 p.m. of a leak at the Marathon Refinery that is, according to Marathon’s report, emitting an oil vapour cloud in the area that does not pose a danger to the public," according to a news release Thursday afternoon from the City of Detroit.
An update tweeted by the city around 5 p.m. identified the problem as coming from one of the refinery's pumps. Crews were sent in the direction the wind was blowing and the city said there were no additional problems.
There was no report of any problems detected in Windsor-Essex.
This is not the first time this year the Marathon refinery was the centre of an incident involving a gas. A malfunctioning flare at the plant in February released a strong, foul odour into the air, which was detected by some residents in west Windsor. Marathon apologized for the problem.
https://twitter.com/CityofDetroit/status/1172256171765436428