Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell - File photo
Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell – File photo

Jerome Reynolds, Gleaner Writer

Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell has ordered the Board of Directors of Petrojam Limited to undertake a probe into last week’s release of noxious fumes from the refinery, the second time in five months.

Last Wednesday, a number of people in the vicinity of the Spanish Town and Hagley Park and Molynes roads in St Andrew, complained about feeling ill as a result of the fumes.

Petrojam has written to the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) indicating that during site clean-up operations, the liquid contents of a five-gallon plastic pail were released on to the ground.

The energy minister has expressed grave concern about what he says is the safety and security practices at Petrojam, noting that is the second time in six months that noxious fumes have been released from the refinery.

Paulwell says he is also concern Petrojam did not make a full report of last week