CLINTON, Iowa — News 8 received multiple reports Sunday night into early Monday morning of orange pulsing lights appearing in the sky over the Quad Cities area.
For those who didn't catch the unexpected light show, here is what Holly Lowe sent in from Cordova:
It has since been confirmed that the mysterious glow came from the LyondellBasell Industries plant in Clinton. The company provided the following statement explaining what people saw.
At approximately 1 p.m. on May 26th, the LyondellBasell Clinton Complex temporarily lost power, which resulted in flaring at the facility.
Flaring allows the safe combustion of materials used in the production of plastic products. Directing these materials to the flare enables the safe handling of the materials during operational interruptions.
A bright orange flame will be visible during flaring, and nearby residents and businesses may also hear a rumbling noise. There may also be periods of smoking associated with the flare.
Our focus is the safety of the community and our employees during operational interruptions. We are working to eliminate the flaring as soon as possible.
Due to cloudy weather last night, that orange flame reflected in the sky.