Esso refinery butane leak contained in Dartmouth

Esso refinery in Dartmouth.

DARTMOUTH, CANADA: Fire personnel at the Esso refinery in Dartmouth were able to control a butane leak Friday evening before it developed into a serious incident. Halifax regional firefighters responded to the refinery at 5:46 pm and were there for about an hour while Esso crews handled the situation.

“There was a butane leak in one of the fractionization towers at the refinery,” said Peter Andrews, a Platoon Chief with Hali­fax Regional Fire & Emergency. “Butane is a flammable and toxic gas. They were able to get the leak under control and under some water streams rather quickly and prevented any explosion or vapour concerns,” he said.

Andrews said the service’s hazardous material team was dispatched to the refinery, along with a tactical unit and pumper. “We were called to prevent any hazardous material issue or a fire issue. It did not develop into any of that, thankfully,” he said. Air quality was monitored in the neighbourhood to ensure residents did not have to be evacuated, added Andrews.

© The Chronicle Herald