A fire erupted at a Chevron oil refinery near Los Angeles in El Segundo, California, on Thursday night, resulting in massive flames that could be seen from a significant distance.
The city of El Segundo advised residents to remain indoors. By early Friday, the fire had been contained, and officials stated there was no danger to the public. No evacuations were necessary.
“There is still an active fire and road closures remain in place,” it said.
Chevron announced that there were no injuries at their El Segundo Refinery, and all employees had been accounted for. Their monitoring systems confirmed that the fire did not extend beyond the refinery’s boundaries. The cause of the fire was not disclosed.
The refinery’s specific location is 324 West El Segundo Boulevard and it boasts its own fire department. This onsite team successfully confined the fire using remote-controlled water systems to extinguish the flames, preventing it from spreading to other areas of the complex.
The El Segundo police and fire departments did not immediately comment on the fire, which appeared to have erupted suddenly.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office stated it was keeping a close watch on the situation, working alongside state and local agencies to safeguard nearby residents.
Pepperdine University officials, who oversee a campus just over five miles from the site, reported they were observing developments closely. They noted that the flames could be seen from their Malibu campus, which is more than 20 miles away.
El Segundo is a beachside city located about a mile south of the Los Angeles International Airport. LA Mayor Karen Bass wrote in a post on X that there was no known impact to the airport.
“LAFD stands at the ready to assist with any mutual aid request,” she said.
The refinery covers roughly 1.5 square miles (3.9 square kilometers) and has more than 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometers) of pipelines, according to the company’s website. The refinery, which has been in operation since 1911, can refine up to 290,000 barrels of crude oil per day, including gasoline, jet and diesel fuels, according to the company’s website.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
