'Their Lives Were Cut Short': Brothers Killed In Oil Refinery Fire Near Toledo

OREGON, OH — The two workers killed in Tuesday’s fire at a Toledo-area oil refinery have been identified as brothers Max and Ben Morrissey.

The siblings were on the job at the BP facility in Oregon when they were injured Tuesday, according to United Steelworkers Local 1-346, which reported the brothers died early Wednesday.

“Their lives were cut short in a horrific explosion,” U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat from Ohio District 9, said Wednesday on the House floor as broadcast by C-SPAN, adding it was “a heartbreaking day for the people of northwest Ohio.”

“Responsible citizens, husbands and fathers who performed America’s essential work that drives progress and our American way of life forward, these brave men will never again return home to their dear families. They leave behind very young children who will come to understand the gravity of their father’s loss.”

Photos and videos circulating on Twitter in the wake of the fire showed a massive plume of smoke and flames coming from the refinery, which can process up to 160,000 barrels of crude oil per day, according to BP.

“Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of these two individuals,” BP said in a prepared statement following the brothers’ deaths, adding all other staffers were accounted for and an employee assistance team was on site in the Toledo area to support those impacted by the fire.

Max, 34, and Ben, 32, both graduated from Clay High School in Oregon, where they were on the wrestling team, according to The Blade. Family friend Zac Schabel told WTVG the brothers were “extremely tight” and that Max had recently taken over operations at Red Eye Pie and Frozen Fantasy’s in Oregon.

Local 1-346 has established a fund for the brothers’ families. For information on how to donate, visit https://bit.ly/3dB7UzQ.