People near a Denver-area refinery are being told to stay indoors as firefighters respond to plumes of smoke from its stacks.
The Adams County Sheriff's Office says people within a 1.5 -mile radius of the Suncor refinery in Commerce City have been told to shelter in place Friday afternoon.
Plumes of black smoke were visible coming from an industrial area near downtown Denver.
Good news: yellow smoke appears to have stopped at apparent Suncor refinery fire.
Bad news: black smoke continues to pour out. pic.twitter.com/I5K9CX2H4B
The refinery produces gasoline, diesel fuel and asphalt from Canadian oil sands. It can produce up to 98,000 barrels per day.
In a statement to CPR, spokeswoman Nicole Fisher said that Suncor's "Commerce City Refinery experienced a power failure which resulted in an operational upset."
"As a result of this upset a visible emission can be seen coming from the Refinery," the statement read. "We are working to safely stabilize the plant following the power failure."
The statement concludes by noting that air monitoring is underway in the area around the refinery and in the neighboring community.
