KEY POINTS
- Chevron confirmed a fire at its El Segundo refinery in Los Angeles County.
- The fire was contained to one section of the plant with no injuries reported.
- Emergency flaring was carried out while officials monitored safety risks.
Chevron Corp.’s El Segundo refinery in Los Angeles County was hit by a fire late Thursday, prompting a swift response from emergency crews and a round of assurances from state officials. The facility, one of the largest on the US West Coast, has a rated processing capacity of 290,000 barrels per day.
Fire breaks out at Chevron refinery
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press office confirmed the incident in a statement, saying state and local agencies were coordinating to ensure public safety. Officials said the blaze was contained to a single area of the refinery, reducing the risk of wider damage.
Authorities have not determined the cause of the fire. The Los Angeles Times reported that it began shortly after an explosion was heard in the area, while CBS said police and firefighters quickly converged on the site.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said fire crews contained the flames within one section of the refinery, preventing further escalation. Police confirmed there were no reports of injuries or evacuations linked to the incident.
Emergency flaring reported at El Segundo
In a filing with regulators, Chevron disclosed emergency flaring at the site following the outbreak. The refinery, located near Los Angeles International Airport, produces gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel, and maintains storage capacity of 12.5 million barrels across roughly 150 tanks, according to company data.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the city’s fire department was on standby to assist if requested. She also noted that operations at LAX had not been disrupted, adding there was “no known impact” to airport services at this stage, according to Reuters.
The El Segundo refinery is considered critical to California’s fuel supply, and any disruption to its operations could ripple into gasoline markets. For now, Chevron has not provided further details on when normal operations may resume or whether output has been curtailed.
