The bitter irony behind honors for refinery workers

It is perhaps the ultimate irony.

This weekend they honored several workers at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery in Southwest Philly. The workers' quick thinking and calm reaction after a massive explosion and fire rocked the plant and surrounding community in June are widely credited with preventing a major catastrophe.

Key to their efforts was securing the plant's cache of highly toxic hydrofluoric acid used in the refining process. They moved it out of way's harm and then worked to cut off the fuel that was feeding the fire.

If there had been a major leak of that acid, residents could have been in danger for miles.

All believe the workers' actions saved the region from a horrific incident.

They only thing they couldn't save was their jobs.

It's on today's editorial page.

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