An explosion at an oil refinery in the US state of Texas

An explosion occurred yesterday at the Valero oil refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, according to authorities who asked residents to take shelter.

“To ensure the safety of all residents in the immediate area and in light of the recent explosion at the Valero refinery, a shelter-in-place order has been issued,” Port Arthur Emergency Management officials wrote in a warning, noting that the order applies to a large area of ​​land surrounding the refinery.

A Valero statement said: “There is currently a fire in a unit at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur. The safety of all employees has been confirmed,” she said, adding that worker safety “is a top priority.”

Local media reports showed flames and a column of black smoke rising from the refinery, while residents of the surrounding area reported hearing a strong explosion that shook the windows.

The refinery employs about 800 people “to process heavy sour crude oil and other raw materials into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel,” according to Valero’s website.