A high demand for air purifiers brought dozens of residents to a giveaway event on Saturday afternoon, with a line stretching over a block before the event even began at 12:30 p.m. 

The giveaway, organized by two local non-profits, Healthy Martinez and 350 Bay Area, offered a lifeline to those living near the Martinez Refining Company, especially after the large fire that broke out at the facility on Feb. 1.

Camille Thoma-Fill, one of the neighbors to receive a free air purifier, expressed relief at the donation. 

"A little bit of peace of mind," she said, highlighting the uncertainty that many neighbors, like herself, feel after the fire.

Thoma-Fill and her family, who live in close proximity to the refinery, were among the many residents concerned when the Feb.1 fire sent thick, black smoke billowing into the air. 

The fire was so massive that Thoma-Fill initially feared it could cause an explosion that would spread flames to nearby homes. 

"We kept away for a full 24 hours. Both of us kind of had sour taste in our mouth. That was the first time that we were like, 'We want to go.' We ended up going to Berkeley for the night and got a hotel room there," she said.

Air quality officials had advised residents to shelter in place by shutting their doors and windows. 

Later, they said test results confirmed that the smoke from the fire contained petroleum products and hazardous chemicals, including substances linked to cancer, and heart and lung disease. 

In response, the Bay Area Air District issued three violation notices to the Martinez Refining Company for causing excessive smoke and soot fallout, failing to operate equipment as permitted, and creating a public nuisance.

For Marcial Barrera Jr., who lives just three blocks from the refinery, the air purifier serves as an important safety tool. 

"Having this to purify the air because we don't know what is in the air," Barrera said.

Thoma-Fill acknowledged the limitations of the device, especially during more severe incidents. 

"If it's a smaller-scale incident, I think something like this might help us kind of hunker down for the day.  But for the larger incidents, I don't know if a little air filter would keep us in town for the night," she said.

Other residents, like a father of three, shared similar sentiments. The family evacuated to a hotel in San Ramon during the fire. 

"We made it kind of like a stay-cation type of deal.  We went out to San Ramon and got a nice hotel," he said.

The giveaway was made possible thanks to the generous donation of 1,000 air purifiers from Lasko, which retail for approximately $100 each with taxes. The items were distributed free of charge, and the organizers were overwhelmed by the turnout.

"It's up to us to take care of our community. The refinery obviously doesn't care. And so we've got to take care of each other," said Heidi Taylor, a founding member of Healthy Martinez.

Taylor, who also lives near the refinery, was one of the volunteers handing out air purifiers and filters. She voiced her frustration over the repeated incidents at the refinery. 

"This is the result of a refinery that doesn't put safety first.  If they put safety first, the workers would be safe and the community would be safe," she said.

The Martinez Refining Company has consistently stated that safety is a priority and that the recent fire was an accident caused by a leak.

Despite this, many residents, like Thoma-Fill, remain unconvinced, with some considering leaving the area. 

"We do think about leaving, possibly, because with this continuing to happen and seemingly getting worse, more frequently, it just doesn't seem great," Thoma-Fill said.

In less than three hours, all 1,000 air purifiers were gone. Organizers have stated they will reassess the situation and explore the possibility of holding another giveaway in the near future to meet the continued demand.