Evergreen Oil Fire: Employee Released from Hospital, Refinery Still Closed

One week after a two-alarm fire ripped through the Evergreen Oil Refinery, an employee who sustained an arm injury in the fire has been released from the hospital, a company spokesman said.

The refinery remains closed while company and state investigators continue to assess fire damage, although other operations have resumed at the facility, Plant Manager Bob Gwaltney added.

Gwaltney said the employee dislocated his shoulder after the fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. on March 29.

“He’s doing OK,” Gwaltney said. “He has returned to work on light duty.”

Meanwhile, Evergreen Oil and Cal/OSHA investigators "are still assessing what needs to be repaired and evaluating the scope of damage to the equipment,” he said.

City Manager John Becker says Newark is also waiting to hear the results of the investigations in progress.

“Based on the results, we will work with Evergreen to ensure the continued safe operation of the facility,” Becker said in an email message.

Gwaltney said that other Evergreen Oil services continue to operate since the fire did not affect them.

“Environmental Services is still operating,” Gwaltney said. “We have vacuum services, waster water collection and more. But right now, the refinery is completely down.”