Video shows bright flames from Chevron refinery fire in El Segundo: “The whole sky is orange”
By Chelsea Hylton
Videos from the large fire that erupted at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo on Thursday night show flames and smoke that could be seen from miles away.
Firefighters from the El Segundo Fire Department and neighboring communities, including Los Angeles County, Redondo Beach, and Manhattan Beach Fire Departments, responded to the scene shortly after 9:30 p.m.
Video taken by one individual a few miles up the coast showed the bright flames illuminating the sky. Videos from residents near the refinery show large clouds of smoke in the sky. One woman could be heard saying, “The whole sky is orange.”
Chevron said the fire originated at a process unit at the southeast corner of the refinery. As of Friday morning, the fire has been contained, by fire crews remain on the scene working to fully extinguish the flames.
LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who oversees the El Segundo area, said even though it looks like multiple fires, it was one fire that ignited and the rest was the burn that is required to ensure all of the gas and oil has been released.
“It was very controlled; it never got close to the fence line,” Mitchell said. “There was never concern that it would spread beyond the contained area in the refinery or breach the fence line.”
One video was taken from the In-N-Out restaurant in Westchester near LAX Airport. Flames could be seen in the distance on the other side of the airport.
