This is no doubt the fear that lingers deep in the psyche of every longtime resident of Marcus Hook.
It is the questions about your ubiquitous neighbor, the sprawling Sunoco plant that straddles the Delaware border and cozies up to many Hook neighborhoods.
It is not knowing what could possibly happen at any time. And what no doubt was racing through every resident’s mind Sunday night when the spring calm was shattered by a blast and fire at the Sunoco facility.
The explosion rocked the town around 10:30 Sunday night, no doubt jolting some out of bed, and picking at the lingering scab that is always the concern that exactly something like this could happen.
Once again that scab is now an open wound, a wonder about what might happen.
The initial fear last night subsided, even as the flames lit up the night sky in the region. The fireball could be seen for miles.
With sunlight this morning came a bit of reassurance, even as firefighters continued to pour water on the burning facility.
This time the Hook got lucky. There were no injuries, and no evacuations. All employees at the Sunoco plant are accounted for. No one was chased out of their nearby homes.
The fire is not out this morning, but it is contained. The explosion and blast occurred in the refinery’s ethylene complex. Ethylene is a feed stock used in the production of plastics.
If only it were as easy to contain those lingering feelings that reside deep in the minds of longtime Hook residents.
Those likely will be a little harder to contain.
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