A massive fire erupted at Chevron’s El Segundo refinery in Los Angeles County following an explosion on Thursday night, multiple sources confirmed.
According to the El Segundo Police Department, officers and firefighters responded to the refinery after receiving multiple reports of an explosion. Eyewitnesses said the blast felt like a small earthquake.
Crews from the Los Angeles County Fire Department also joined the response. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said it was coordinating with state and local authorities.
The refinery, which has its own fire department, was able to mount an immediate response. El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel said no injuries had been reported.
“We were able to respond with Chevron fire immediately; our station is about a quarter mile away from the gates of Chevron,” Pimentel told CBS News.
“Obviously, we are very concerned, and there is a lot of investigative work to be done to determine what happened.”
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said crews had contained the blaze to one section of the refinery. She emphasized that residents did not need to evacuate but advised them to remain indoors, while visitors were urged to avoid El Segundo for the time being.
“It has been contained, and there is no cause for alarm for El Segundo or the surrounding areas,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell also warned that the fire could affect air quality in El Segundo and neighboring cities. However, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) reported no elevated levels of toxins at the time, though conditions could change.
“We’re currently not seeing any elevation of particulate matter or air toxins,” said Nahal Mogharabi, AQMD assistant deputy of communications. “That may change as the smoke settles this evening.”
Mogharabi advised residents to close their doors and windows if they see or smell smoke.
El Segundo Fire Department Division Chief Casey Snow confirmed there were no injuries and no hazards to nearby Manhattan Beach. He said gasoline and diesel were still burning but noted the fire was expected to either burn out naturally or be extinguished in due course.
According to Chevron, the El Segundo refinery, built in 1911, processes about 276,000 barrels of crude oil per day and is the largest producing refinery on the U.S. West Coast.
The refinery is located just a few miles south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Airport officials said the fire had not affected operations, with no flights cancelled, delayed, or diverted in the immediate aftermath.
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