WOODS CROSS, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Hundreds of angry residents confronted the mayor of Woods Cross and the president of Silver Eagle refinery Wednesday after a refinery explosion damaged many homes.
Fire officials say the explosion was a result of a line carrying hydrogen and diesel fuel that leaked onto the ground. What was supposed to be a meeting there Thursday night held by the refinery to make sure everyone was covered, almost ended up in a brawl.
One neighbor said they feel they've been living "down the barrel of a gun" and didn't even know it.
“You were warned that the blast zone would encompass several of these homes, so don't even try to walk away from this, I want accountability and I want it now,” one resident said. At one point, things got so heated, a member of the refinery actually pushed a resident.
Woods Cross residents want to know why the city or builders didn't tell them they were living in a "blast zone" when they first closed on their homes 6 years ago. If they did know it was a "blast zone," why then, did the city zone the area for residential development?
Woods Cross Mayor Kent Parry said, “The reports came back that it was safe within acceptable limits to build this residential neighborhood.”
When asked if the area was safe for people to live, Silver Eagle Refinery President Dave McSwain said, “It's been a safe area for them so far, we've never had an incident that actually went beyond our premise.”
Some residents said they want to move because they feel unsafe, but they also feel trapped. “The problem with it is that it's no longer a safe community and it drops the value of our houses, so if we had to move, we couldn't...and who's gonna compensate us for that?” one resident said.
McSwain said they are currently in the process of working with insurance adjusters to take care of the residents whose homes were damaged.
