Contra Costa Health on Tuesday responded to a Martinez Refining Company report that chemicals and combustion byproducts from the three-day fire earlier this month included those that can cause cancer,

Contra Costa County says a range of harmful chemicals were released, including some that pose risks for cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Residents of Martinez, California, are experiencing what can only be described as pollution whiplash. The devastating fire that struck the Martinez Refining Company about a week ago sent acrid plumes of black smoke into the air for days.