According to British media reports on October 3, a violent explosion occurred at an oil refinery in Los Angeles, USA. The shock wave generated by a huge fireball shocked the entire city. Police said the fire began on the outskirts of the busy Los Angeles International Airport and was visible miles away in downtown Los Angeles after Chevron's refinery in El Segundo caught fire.
Firefighters arrived at the scene around 21:35 local time, minutes after surrounding residents reported hearing a loud explosion. Authorities have not received reports of casualties and have told residents to stay indoors and close windows.
The El Segundo community is close to the south side of Los Angeles International Airport, but Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that "no impact on the international aviation hub has been found" at present. It is understood that the current flight operation of Los Angeles International Airport has not been affected.
Elsevier Mayor Chris Pimentel praised the rapid response of the fire department and said he was "deeply concerned."He said: "We first reacted to the Chevron fire and the fire station was only about 0.25 miles from the Chevron Gate.
Horrifying images posted on social media showed the night sky engulfed by bright orange flames and billowing smoke, with witnesses describing hearing a "sudden and continuous roar." Torrance police told that multiple rescue teams have arrived at the two-square-mile facility, which supplies more than 40% of Southern California's jet fuel and more than 20% of vehicle fuel.
As the largest refinery on the West Coast, the facility has a daily production capacity of 276,000 barrels of crude oil, daily staff of 1000 employees and the same number of contractors, and a fire department composed of 24 full-time firefighters. Two hours after the fire broke out, real-time footage showed that the fire was still continuing. Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell told KCAL TV that the fire was basically under control around 22:30 local time.
The Los Angeles Times reported that 13-year-old Julian Reese and his father first felt the impact of the explosion and then ran out of the house to witness the fire. Many residents reported hearing the explosion and seeing the fire for the first time around 21: 30 local time. The specific cause of the explosion is still unclear.
When the explosion occurred, Mark Rogers was playing in the adult football league at the Aviation Park, several kilometers away from the refinery. "I thought I had suffered a nuclear strike".California Governor gavin newsom has been briefed on the incident, and his office statement said: "We are coordinating with local and state agencies in real time to ensure the safety of surrounding communities and public protection."
The facility burned on November 8, 2022, when it took several firefighters about two hours to completely extinguish. On October 18, 2017, the fire was also caused by a pump failure. Experts warned that, depending on the extent of the damage, residents of the United States, especially those in California, who had already suffered the highest oil price in the United States, could face pressure from rising fuel prices.