A massive explosion ripped through a Chevron oil refinery in El Segundo on Thursday night, sending a towering fireball into the sky that could be seen for miles across Los Angeles.
The blast occurred just outside Los Angeles International Airport at approximately 9:35pm local time, when firefighters responded to the scene at the refinery facility.
Police confirmed the explosion originated at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo, located just south of the busy international airport.
Witnesses across surrounding neighborhoods reported hearing a thunderous blast moments before emergency crews arrived at the facility.
Authorities stated they had not received any reports of injuries from the incident as of early Friday morning.
No evacuation orders were issued, though residents in the area were instructed to remain indoors and keep their windows closed as a precautionary measure.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass moved quickly to reassure travelers, stating there was “no known impact” to operations at LAX.
Officials confirmed to the Daily Mail that the international airport was not experiencing any operational disruptions to flights at the time.
El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel commended first responders for their swift action while expressing serious concern about the incident.
“We were able to respond to the Chevron fire immediately, our station is about a .25 miles away from the gates of Chevron,” Pimentel said.
“Obviously, we are very concerned, and there is a lot of investigative work to be done to see what has happened.”
The night sky became illuminated by bright orange flames as thick smoke billowed upward, with witnesses describing a “sudden steady roar” accompanying the blaze.
Social media images captured firefighters positioned atop ladders, directing streams of water onto flames that reached several stories high.
Video footage from a nearby Top Golf location showed patrons initially recording the fire on their phones before the severity of the situation became apparent.
The group quickly fled to the parking lot to reach their vehicles as the massive scale of the blaze became clear.
The Torrance Police Department confirmed units were deployed to the facility, which covers two square miles and supplies more than 40 percent of jet fuel and over 20 percent of motor vehicle fuel throughout Southern California.
The refinery stands as the largest on the West Coast, with the capacity to produce 276,000 barrels of crude oil daily.
The massive operation employs 1,000 workers and utilizes approximately 1,000 contractors on any given day.
The facility maintains its own fire department with 24 full-time firefighters on staff, per the Daily Mail.
Live video feeds showed the fire still burning two hours after ignition.
Industry observers noted that depending on the damage extent, fuel costs could rise for Americans, particularly Californians who already face some of the nation’s highest prices at gas pumps.
Julian Reese, 13, told the Los Angeles Times that he and his father felt the blast before rushing outside to witness the fire.
Mark Rogers was participating in his adult soccer league at Aviation Park, located several miles from the refinery, when the explosion occurred.
“I thought we got nuked or something,” Rogers said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom received a briefing on the incident, according to a statement released on social media.
“Our office is coordinating in real time with local and state agencies to protect the surrounding community and ensure public safety,” the statement read.
The Daily Mail highlighted that the facility has experienced previous fire incidents, including one on November 8, 2022, which required multiple fire crews approximately two hours to fully extinguish.
Another fire caused by pump failure occurred at the same location on October 18, 2017.
