Texas residents feel homes shake miles away from oil refinery explosion | Texas
A fire at an oil refinery near the Texas coast was extinguished Tuesday and a temporary lockdown order was lifted, hours after a large explosion at the complex sent plumes of smoke into the air, officials said.
No one was injured in Monday’s explosion at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, about 90 miles east of Houston, Charlotte M Moses said. Port Arthur’s mayor had urged residents in parts of the city’s west to stay put.
“There was an explosion, yes, but everything is fine, everyone is fine,” she said. “They are trying to put out the fire as quickly as possible.”
Residents at least several kilometers away reported feeling their homes shaking. Some area schools were closed Tuesday as a precaution.
The explosion comes amid a surge in gas prices caused by uncertainty over global oil supplies due to the U.S. and Israel-led war against Iran.
The refinery has about 770 employees and can process about 435,000 barrels of oil per day, according to Valero’s website. The plant refines heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
Images and videos posted online show a large plume of smoke and flames coming from the refinery.
Valero did not respond to emails or a call from The Associated Press seeking comment. Local TV stations reported that a company spokesperson said everyone was accounted for.
Christian Manuel, a Texas state representative, said in a social media post that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality had arrived at the refinery with air quality monitoring equipment and was working with local and state partners.
