A large explosion at an oil refinery near the Texas coast on Monday shot plumes of smoke into the air and forced nearby residents to shelter in place, officials said.
No one was injured in the explosion at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Houston, Mayor Charlotte M. Moses said. She urged residents in parts of the west side of the city to stay put, stating firefighters are on the scene.
“There’s been an explosion, yes, but we’re OK; everybody’s OK,” she mentioned. “They’re trying to put the fire out as quickly as possible.”
The explosion comes amidst a spike in gas prices driven by uncertainty over the global oil supply due to the Iran war.
The refinery has about 770 employees and can process around 435,000 barrels of oil daily. The plant refines heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
Images and video posted online showed large plumes of smoke and flames billowing from the refinery, with some residents recalling a loud boom that shook their windows.
“For your safety, please remain in place until the ‘All Clear’ is given by emergency personnel,” the City of Port Arthur advised in a Facebook post.
Texas state Rep. Christian Manuel reported that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality had arrived at the refinery with air monitoring equipment to assess the situation.
Residents are reminded to limit outdoor activities, keep windows and doors closed, and obey local instructions.
