'Mistakes were made' over California air pollution danger

Officials responsible for monitoring air pollution levels in California made a number of mistakes regarding the danger posed to the public following a fire at a refinery, it has been claimed.

Last month, a huge fire broke out at the Chevron Corp refinery in Richmond, San Francisco, stemming from a leak in an old pipe at the facility.

Following the incident, more than 15,000 people sought medical attention for breathing complaints and eye irritation, though only three were admitted to hospital.

Originally, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said that none of the monitors measured levels exceeding legal standards, but after a district meeting this week more information came to light.

At the public meeting, in which the results of subsequent investigations into the fire, its cause and its aftermath were discussed, it was noted that although Chevron and Contra Costa County conducted monitoring during the fire, the district was ultimately responsible for testing samples and determining if there were any violations of federal or state air pollution standards.

It would also have been responsible for notifying county officials of any danger, who would then alert the public.

The meeting was attended by regulators, who said that they are working to improve the monitoring of air pollution during emergencies.

District executive officer Jack Broadbent acknowledged that the original belief that all air quality samples taken near the refinery fire were safe had "clearly fallen short" of the reality and that "the public was suffering from this event".

The district is now exploring ways of deploying a greater number of air monitors near the refinery and looking into how new, mobile air-monitoring stations can be set up quickly in the case of emergency.

Nigel Hearne, general manager of the refinery, added that Chevron had already been working with the city to construct three community air monitoring stations that will boost residents' knowledge of when air quality reaches dangerous levels and monitor real-time air pollution data.