Pembroke Refinery - Incidents

Incidents

• At around 13:00 on 24 July 1994, twenty-six people were injured when a large explosion ripped through the plant. The blast's shockwave shook windows, doors and damaged properties within a 10 mile radius and was heard up to 40 miles away. Shortly before the explosion, a dry lightning storm in the area had caused disturbances at the plant. The resulting fire took several hours extinguish with fire appliances being drafted in from as far away as Swansea and Cardiff. In all, over 130 firefighters assisted.

• Just after 20:00 on 15 February 1996, a crude oil tanker, the Sea Empress, en route to the refinery from the North Sea struck rocks off St. Ann's Head just four miles from the refinery's jetty on the Milford Haven Waterway. The tanker remained stuck on the rocks for four days and spilled 73,000 tonnes of oil - resulting in one of Britain's worst ever environmental disasters.

• In September 2000, during nationwide fuel protests, the gates the refinery were blockaded by hauliers protesting at increasing petrol prices (then 80 pence per litre). Shortly after the protests, the refinery placed wooden stakes in the verges around the gates and perimeter fence to prevent vehicles parking there.

• At 20:55 on 24 March 2005, a fire broke out at a crude oil storage tank during a lightning storm. The blaze was fought by fifty firefighters and took just under and hour to extinguish. No injuries were reported.

• At 18:20 on 2 June 2011, a 730 cubic metre storage tank exploded killing four refinery workers and seriously injuring a fifth. Ten fire and rescue appliances attended the scene, along with many other emergency services. The fire was extinguished within 90 minutes.