Delek is taking steps to assist those who were injured Saturday in a fire that broke out at the El Dorado refinery, formerly known as Lion Oil, as well as their families, Delek U.S. Holdings’ Senior Vice President for Investor Relations Blake Fernandez said Monday.
“Obviously we’re committed to taking care of the employees and their families,” Fernandez said.
On Saturday, six people were injured in what El Dorado Fire Chief Chad Mosby described as a “flash fire” at the refinery. Fernandez said the fire started at approximately 3:30 p.m. that day.
All six of the people injured were transferred to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s Burn Unit, where they remain. Daniel Whatley, Kenneth Jerry and Madison Crawford were three of the victims of the fire.
“He is in stable condition and his burns are being treated. He is on a vent due to facial swelling, but we are hoping that when the swelling subsides he can be taken off,” said Stephanie Glover Crawford, Madison Crawford’s step-mother, in a message to the News-Times Monday afternoon.
She noted that she’s grateful for the treatment her son has received at ACH and the help they’ve received from Lion Oil.
Fernandez said on Monday that when news came of the fire at the local refinery, company executives set to work contacting an immediate family member of those who were injured. Company representatives also met family members at Medical Center of South Arkansas, where the injured were initially transported, before following them to Little Rock upon the victims’ transport to the ACH, he said.
“We had counselors … at the hospitals with the families, and also on-site at the El Dorado facility this morning and they’ll be there as long as they need to be,” Fernandez said.
In Little Rock, the company has provided accommodations to the fire victims’ families, along with covering incidental expenses, like meals, Fernandez said. The head of the refining arm of Delek U.S. also travelled to Little Rock to visit with the families, though they were not permitted to visit with the fire victims due to hospital rules, Fernandez said.
Fernandez declined to share the names of the other Delek workers who were hurt Saturday.
Stephanie Crawford said her son’s prognosis is good.
“We are blessed and just thankful that we have him here, no matter the condition. He will go home healthy,” she said. “As of right now, he will not require any surgery as long as things keep going the way they are now.”
On Sunday, Mira Jerry, Kenneth Jerry’s wife, said his condition was also stable, though he too was on a ventilator due to facial swelling. She said he would likely require surgery some time this week. Jordaan Barron, Daniel Whatley’s girlfriend, said on Sunday that Whatley too was on a ventilator but in stable condition.
The News-Times has not yet confirmed the names of the other people injured in the Saturday’s fire at the Delek: El Dorado Refinery.
“We continue to pray for those injured, their families and the Delek family,” El Dorado Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer said Monday.
Fernandez said Monday he did not know what the status was of an investigation into the fire the company said would be launched. He said on Sunday that the company was testing the air quality around the refinery to ensure there were not adverse environmental effects from the fire.
“I know they were trying to secure the site and make sure it was safe before bringing inspectors in,” Fernandez said on Monday.
Delek US Holdings is a publicly-traded company. On Friday at 4 p.m., when the market closed for the weekend, its stock price was $4.40; on Monday, the price had gone up to $4.50 by the time the market closed.
Caitlan Butler can be reached at [email protected].