Health & Fitness
Martinez Refinery Fire Leaves Health And Psychological Impacts Days Later
"I went out my door and I saw massive columns of black smoke piling up in the air from the direction of the refinery," Justin Gomez said.
February 4, 2025
Find out what's happening in Martinezfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
An East Bay community is still feeling the effects from a weekend fire at the Martinez Refining Company that emitted huge plumes of smoke and injured six refinery employees.
The fire at the facility prompted a public health advisory on Saturday that had local residents sheltering in place into the evening. Contra Costa Health officials on Sunday were advising residents with respiratory sensitivity to stay indoors if possible, as concerns about air quality persist.
Find out what's happening in Martinezfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Justin Gomez has lived in Martinez for 13 years and is a member of Healthy Martinez, a local refinery accountability group. He was home when he got an air quality alert at around 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon. That was roughly 15 minutes after the fire started.
CBS Local Digital Media personalizes the global reach of CBS-owned and operated television and radio stations with a local perspective.
