There were reports of a significant explosion in the Los Angeles area on Thursday night.
Social media users shared videos and images showing a massive fireball lighting up the night sky near the Chevron Products Company’s El Segundo Refinery.
As CBS News noted, both officers and firefighters were dispatched to the Chevron facilities in El Segundo after multiple explosion reports came in.
Residents recalled hearing a “major blast” around 9:30 p.m., as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
“We thought maybe it was a nuclear event or something,” said Mike Rodgers, who mentioned that smoke from the fire caused his adult soccer league match to be canceled.
At the time, no evacuation orders had been issued, and officials assured the public that there was no danger to citizens.
No injuries were reported right after the incident.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated that the LA Fire Department was prepared to support local responders.
It wasn’t clear how the fire might affect LAX at that moment, as the mayor mentioned on social media.
The El Segundo facility, managed by Chevron, has its own fire station on site to combat the flames, as KTLA reported.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been updated on the situation and is cooperating with local officials.
“Our offices are coordinating in real time with local and state agencies to protect nearby communities and ensure public safety,” Newsom’s Press Office stated on social media.
The El Segundo refinery opened in 1911 as the Standard California Petroleum Company and became Chevron Corporation in 1984.
According to Chevron’s website, the refinery can process 290,000 barrels per day, mainly producing gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel, with a total storage capacity of 12.5 million barrels across around 150 major tanks.
Chevron had previously taken the refinery offline in May for a brief period, but operations resumed after a week.
