More info on start of fire:
The leak started as a drip at about 4:15 p.m. Monday, officials said. Chevron — which is required to “immediately” notify the public of any gas leak, fire or oil spill, according to state law — did not consider it an immediate danger to residents nearby.
“At that point in time, there really wasn’t anything we could advise the community to do,” said Mark Ayers, the refinery’s fire chief. “We surely wouldn’t advise anybody to shelter in place.”
The company’s engineers began stripping away insulation on the leaky pipe to investigate the source, which released a vapor of a flammable substance similar to diesel. About two and a half hours later, a conflagration had officials scrambling to warn residents to stay inside.
Chevron officials notified Contra Costa County so it could activate its emergency warning system, said Randy Sawyer, director of the county’s health services agency.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2012/08/08/chevron-response-to-refinery-fire-under-criticism/
“...released a vapor of a flammable substance similar to diesel...”
Still doesn’t pass the smell test.
IMHO