An explosion occurred on Monday at the Valero Oil Refinery in Port Arthur, Texas (southern United States), according to authorities who have asked residents to take shelter.
“To ensure the safety of all residents in the area and given the recent explosion at the Valero refinery, an immediate shelter-in-place order is being issued,” emergency management officials in Port Arthur warned, specifying that a large area surrounding the refinery is affected.
“There is currently a fire in a unit of the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. All personnel have been accounted for,” the company stated in a press release.
Local media showed high flames and a plume of black smoke rising from the refinery, and residents reported a strong detonation that shook windows.
Located about 140 kilometers east of Houston, the Port Arthur refinery employs over 800 people to “process heavy and sour crude oil as well as other raw materials into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel,” processing around 435,000 barrels per day, according to Valero’s website.
