Huge Fire at Sunoco Oil Refinery, Toledo, OH

Feb 23, 2003

On Sunday afternoon, February 23, Toledo refinery neighbors saw a thick black smoke plume coming from Sunoco's Toledo Refinery. The smoke was visible from 10 miles away. Around 2:00 PM, neighbors saw intense flames and heard their windows rattle from "loud, thundering noises" like the sound of an airliner. One neighbor abandoned his snow shoveling because of the foul smell. Sunoco spokespeople said a power failure caused the fire.