(CNN) — Firefighters in Northern California were battling a blaze at a refinery on Tuesday, officials said.
The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office issued a shelter in place notification because of the release of hazardous materials from the fire.
Two large ethanol tanks were burning at a NuStar Energy facility in Crockett, located south of Vallejo, and fire and heat were threatening three other tanks, said Steve Hill, a Contra Costa County Fire Department spokesman. Several acres of vegetation near the tanks caught fire, but Hill said vegetation fires have been contained.
The blaze is confined to the NuStar facility, fire officials assured the public Tuesday night. While the two tanks are experiencing flare ups, Hill said, officials are becoming “less concerned” about the threat of spreading to tanks nearby.
No one was injured in the fire, Hill said. All personnel are accounted for, NuStar Energy said in a statement.
More than 200 firefighters attacked the flames with foam and water, Hill said. Firefighters used water to cool adjacent tanks that were not on fire, officials said.
“It’s really what’s burning down in the tank farm. And you can still see active fire. There’s flame and combustion,” said George Laing, a Contra Costa County Fire Department Captain.
“There is active fire suppression down at the base of this hill where the tank farm is,” he added.
The potential health concern is particulates in the air, said Ellen Dempsey, a hazardous materials specialist for Contra Costa County.
The two tanks contain about 250,000 gallons of ethanol, Hill said.
NuStar Energy said the two impacted tanks had less than 1% of the tank capacity.
Officials are holding a shelter in place for Crockett, Rodeo and the northern part of Hercules. Interstate 80 was shut down in both directions and is expected to remain closed until approximately midnight local time, the California Highway Patrol said.
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