iradiophilly | News - Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refinery to Close; Hahnemann Closing in Sept; Postal Worker Hit By Car

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Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refinery to Close; Hahnemann Closing in Sept; Postal Worker Hit By Car

by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA
started: 06/26/19 6:56 pm | updated: 06/26/19 6:56 pm

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney confirmed on Wednesday that Philadelphia Energy Solutions has decided to shut down its South Philadelphia refinery complex. Early Friday morning, 6/21, several large explosions and a fire tore through the Girard Point refinery. The 150-year-old facility also contains the Point Breeze refinery. It is the largest facility on the East Coast and processes 335,000 barrels of crude oil daily into a variety of products. The refinery employs around 1,000 who would be directly affected by the closure. There are many more jobs that would be indirectly affected. Gasoline prices may also take a hit. The investigation into the fire and explosions will continue and may take months. Some employees may be retained to maintain the facility as investigations go on. The Department of Public Health continues to monitor air quality.

"I spoke with the CEO and leadership of Philadelphia Energy SolutionsÂ this morning and can confirm that PES intends to shut down the refinery within the next month. I'm extremely disappointed for the more than one thousand workers who will be immediately impacted by this closure, as well as other businesses that are dependent on the refinery operations. The City is committed to supporting them during this difficult time in any way possible. We will immediately convene a group of City and quasi-governmental organizations to discuss the economic and employment impacts, and what the City is able to do in response. We are also retooling the plans of the working group led by the City's Managing Director and Fire Commissioner to focus efforts on determining the future of the refinery, assisting PES to transition the site safely, communicating with local residents, and supporting the employees impacted PESâ€™ decision."

Hahnemann University Hospital is set to close on or about September 6th according to its parent company Philadelphia Academic Health System, LLC. because of continuing and unsustainable financial losses. "Our goal in acquiring the hospitals was to help them both flourish and provide world-class care," said Joel Freedman, founder and president of PAHS. "We relentlessly pursued numerous strategic options to keep Hahnemann in operation, and have been uncompromising in our commitment to our staff, patients, and community. We are saddened our efforts have not been successful, and we are faced with the heartbreaking reality that Hahnemann cannot continue to lose millions of dollars each month and remain in business." The Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals has appealed to has appealed to Mayor Kenney, Philadelphia City Council, the Pennsylvania Legislative Delegation, and Governor Tom Wolf to keep the hospital open. The union represents 800 registered nurses at Hahnemann. They also ask that the property itself remain a hospital and not a prime real estate commodity. Hahnemann was opened 171-years-ago and now employees 2,500 workers. PAHS also owns St. Christopher's Children's Hospital. That hospital will remain open.

A United States Postal Service worker was injured when his postal truck was hit by an alleged stolen vehicle in a multi-vehicle accident in Southwest Philadelphia on Wednesday morning, 6/26. It happened around 11 a.m. in the 1400 block of South 50th Street near Woodland Ave. A 22-year-old male was driving a stolen grey Toyota Versa when he hit the truck. The truck then hit a grey Hyundai Elantra. The 46-year-old male postal carrier suffered fractures to his right leg. He was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in critical but stable condition. A man and woman, both 21-years-old, in the Hyundai suffered lower back injuries and were taken to Penn Presbyterian in stable condition. The driver of the stolen vehicle was not injured, but was arrested at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.