Massive Fire Erupts at Chevron refinery in El Segundo, Sending Plumes Across South Bay
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.- A large fire broke out at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo Thursday night, sending towering flames and plumes of smoke visible for miles across the South Bay. Firefighters responded to the scene and worked to contain the blaze, which prompted road closures and concerns from residents.As of late Thursday, officials reported no public safety threat.
The fire began shortly before 9 p.m., and residents reported feeling a significant blast. Julian Reese, 13, described feeling a “major blast” with his father before they ran outside to see flames filling the sky. Mark Rogers, 34, was playing in an adult soccer league at Aviation Park, a few miles from the plant, when the explosion occurred. ”I thought we got nuked or something,” he said, noting the referee canceled their game due to the heavy smoke.
Keith Mohr, 53, a Manhattan Beach resident who lives south of the refinery, evacuated with his wife and dogs after feeling the blast. they returned home after authorities confirmed there was no immediate danger to the public. mohr, a resident of the area for over two decades, stated, “This was 300-foot flames…I didn’t know if a plane crashed or there was an earthquake or both.”
Authorities diverted traffic away from the area, implementing road closures along Rosecrans Avenue from Vista Del Mar to Pacific Coast Highway and along Pacific Coast Highway from Rosecrans Avenue to El Segundo Boulevard.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom were briefed on the incident. Bass stated via X (formerly Twitter) that there was no known impact to Los Angeles International Airport. The governor’s office announced via X that it was coordinating with local and state agencies to ensure public safety and protect the surrounding community.
Refinery fires are not uncommon in the South Bay, an area with several major oil production facilities. In November 2022, firefighters spent two hours extinguishing a fire at the same El Segundo facility. A 2020 fire at the marathon Petroleum refinery in Carson sent flames at least 100 feet into the air,causing several hours of concern before being brought under control with limited damage to refinery operations.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
