BY JIM ALTENBERG AND JIM GOTESKY
MARTINEZ, California - A fiery blast engulfed five oil workers at the Tosco Avon refinery at 12:18 p.m. here February 23. Rollin Blue, Ricardo Enriquez, and Ernie Pofahl died from extensive burns. Two others remain in critical condition.

This is the second fatal accident in two years at the Avon refinery. According to fire officials the five maintenance workers were probably repairing a leaking naphtha line on an operating crude oil distillation tower 50 feet above the ground when the explosion struck. Naphtha, a highly explosive crude oil distillate, spilled down the side of the tower, igniting in a massive fire ball.

The intense heat burned the clothes off the workers and melted their skin. It took rescue workers more than three hours to scale the distillation tower to reach the injured workers.

Jim Altenberg is an operator at the Avon refinery. Jim Gotesky is a maintenance worker at the Tosco refinery in Rodeo, California.  
 
 
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