RICHMOND (CBS SF) — Black smoke hanging over the East Bay Wednesday evening was the result of flaring in a unit at the Chevron Refinery in Richmond, officials said.
READ MORE: San Jose Police Investigate 2nd Weekend Fatal Shooting, 9th Homicide Of The YearRichmond @Chevron is spewing lots of black smoke pic.twitter.com/jSEYSMiYZA
READ MORE: Stimulus Check Update: When Might Your $1,400 Economic Relief Payment Arrive?— (Kane Baccigalupi (@rubyghetto) July 18, 2019
Chevron said the flaring started around 7:30 p.m and was taking place at a process unit due to an upset. Refinery employees promptly handled the cause and the flaring stopped before 9 p.m.
Chevron notified the Contra Costa County Fire Department and issued a Level 1 Community Warning System to keep residents informed.
MORE NEWS: Storm Front Packing Potential Lightning Strikes Headed Toward San Francisco Bay AreaA Chevron official said flaring is an important part of keeping the refinery running safely.
