Photo: Kube, Michelle (uploader)
EL SEGUNDO (CNS) - Firefighters continue to battle a massive fire that continues to smolder Friday morning at the Chevron El Segundo Refinery after burning throughout the night and early morning for nearly nine hours, with flames seen from several miles away.
The cause of the explosion and fire is unknown and under investigation.
The fire at the oil processing plant was reported just after 9:00 p.m. Thursday, according to broadcast reports. Witnesses told KCAL News they heard what sounded like an explosion before flames tore through the refinery.
Video from the scene showed orange flames shooting toward the sky.
The last of the visible flames were extinguished about 7:15 a.m., according to video shot by helicopter and broadcast by Fox 11.
The refinery is the "largest producing oil refinery on the West Coast, processing more than 276,000 barrels of crude per day," according to its website.
"All refinery personnel and contractors have been accounted for and there are no injuries," Allison Cook, a Chevron spokesperson, said in a statement.
"No evacuation orders for area residents have been put in place by emergency response agencies monitoring the incident, and no exceedances have been detected by the facilities fence line monitoring system."
Gov. Gavin Newsom "has been briefed on the incident," according to a statement from his office, which "is coordinating in real time with local and state agencies to protect the surrounding community and ensure public safety."
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote on social media that she has been briefed on the fire and spoken with Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, whose Second District includes El Segundo.
The Los Angeles Fire Department "stands at the ready to assist with any mutual aid request," Bass wrote, adding "there is no known impact to" Los Angeles International Airport.
Mitchell told KCAL News no evacuation orders have been issued and the fire had been confined to one area at the refinery.
"There is no cause for alarm for El Segundo and for the surrounding area," Mitchell told the station.
Fire crews fought the blaze by shooting streams of water at it.
The refinery's on-site fire department and the El Segundo Fire Department train together in anticipation of these types of events, said El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel.
Concern about air quality was on the minds of several residents who gathered a block or so from the refinery to watch the fire.
Mitchell told The New York Times that as of early Friday, sensors had not indicated any serious air quality issues.
The Los Angeles Times reported traffic was diverted away from the scene while road closures were put in place along nearby streets such as Rosecrans Avenue from Vista Del Mar to Pacific Coast Highway and along Pacific Coast Highway from Rosecrans Avenue to El Segundo Boulevard.
A shelter in place order was issued for the nearby Manhattan Beach's Tree Section Neighborhood due to the fire and was lifted after 2 a.m. Friday.
El Segundo Fire Department Division Chief Casey Snow told CBS 2 there were no injuries reported at the refinery and no hazards to neighboring Manhattan Beach.