A huge blaze broke out late Thursday at Chevron's sprawling refinery in El Segundo, California, sending flames shooting high into the night sky and rattling residents for miles around. The fire, which ignited around 9:30 p.m. in a jet fuel processing unit, quickly escalated into what witnesses described as an explosion-like roar, shaking windows and feeling like a minor earthquake in nearby neighborhoods. Indeed, social media lit up with videos showing the refinery engulfed in orange fury, the glow visible even from downtown Los Angeles, about 20 miles north.
Emergency crews from El Segundo, alongside Chevron's own firefighters and support from Los Angeles County and neighboring cities like Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach, rushed to the scene. By early Friday morning, they had managed to contain the flames, though crews remained on site to fully extinguish hot spots. No injuries were reported, and all refinery personnel—numbering in the hundreds—were accounted for without incident. Chevron's facility, which processes a hefty 285,000 barrels of oil per day and supplies much of the jet fuel for nearby LAX airport, was largely shut down, potentially tightening fuel supplies in California's isolated market.
However, the rapid response didn't come without some tension. Officials in Manhattan Beach issued a brief shelter-in-place order, urging folks to seal windows and keep pets indoors amid concerns over smoke plumes drifting southward. No full evacuations were needed, and air quality monitors showed no immediate hazards to the public. Still, the incident underscores the vulnerabilities of these massive industrial sites hugging urban edges—places like El Segundo that power the region's economy but carry inherent risks.
Governor Gavin Newsom's office confirmed they were briefed overnight, with local leaders praising the coordinated effort that prevented worse outcomes. Chevron has promised a thorough investigation into the cause, which remains unclear for now. As the smoke clears over the South Bay, one can't help but wonder how such close calls might push for stricter safeguards in an era of rising industrial pressures.