Large fire erupts at Los Angeles-area Chevron refinery in El Segundo
By Matthew Rodriguez
Fire crews have contained a large fire at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo following an explosion on Thursday night.
Chevron, which has its own fire department for the refinery, said the fire started at about 9:30 p.m. in the southeast corner of the facility.
El Segundo officers and firefighters responded to the refinery in El Segundo after receiving multiple reports of an explosion, according to the El Segundo Police Department. A witness said the explosion felt like a small earthquake.
Crews from the LA County Fire Department also responded to the area to help. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said it would coordinate with state and local officials.
El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel said authorities have not received any reports of injuries.
“We were able to respond with Chevron fire immediately, our station is about a .25 mile 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.”
El Segundo Fire Department Division Chief Casey Snow also said there were no injuries reported at the refinery and no hazards to neighboring Manhattan Beach.
LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said crews contained the fire to one area of the refinery. She added that residents did not have to evacuate, but advised residents to stay inside and visitors to stay away from El Segundo for the time being.
“It has been contained and there is no cause for alarm for El Segundo or the surrounding areas,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell advised residents that the fire would most likely affect air quality in El Segundo and surrounding cities, but the South Coast Air Quality Management District said it had not noticed any elevated levels of toxins, though it noted conditions could change.
“We’re currently not seeing any elevated of particulate matter or air toxins,” said Nahal Mogharabi, assistant deputy of communications for AQMD. “That may change as the smoke settles this evening.”
Mogharabi recommended that residents close their doors and windows if they see or smell smoke.
The Los Angeles Waterkeeper said its main concern is the health and safety of the nearby residents. They added that even though other officials have said no immediate impacts have been observed, “aerial disposition of pollutants remains a significant concern.”
“Not only will this impact air quality but will also ultimately have water pollution impacts as it settles on surfaces and ultimately gets mobilized into storm drains and waterways,” a spokesperson from the LA Waterkeeper said.
Snow said gasoline and diesel were still burning, but the fire department believed the blaze would either burn itself out or be fully extinguished in a matter of time.
According to Chevron’s website, the El Segundo refinery was constructed in 1911. The facility produces 276,000 barrels of crude oil every day and “is the largest producing oil refinery on the west coast,” Chevron officials wrote on its website.
El Segundo is a few miles south of LAX. The airport stated that the fire has not impacted its operations. No flights have been cancelled, diverted or delayed immediately after the fire.
