Chevron Agrees to $2 Million Fine for Calif. Refinery Fire

Incident in 2012 sent thousands to the hospital

Chevron on Monday agreed to pay $2 million in fines and restitution and pleaded no contest to six charges in connection with a fire at its refinery in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Richmond.

Chevron entered the plea to charges filed by the California Attorney General's Office and the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office, including failing to correct deficiencies in equipment and failing to require the use of certain equipment to protect employees from potential harm.

The Aug. 6, 2012, fire sent thousands of people to the hospital, many complaining of respiratory problems. Both Chevron and government investigations have determined that corrosion in a pipe caused a leak that sparked the fire, sending a plume of black smoke over nearby residential areas.