On Friday, emergency crews successfully contained a massive fire at Chevron's El Segundo refinery, allowing officials to begin investigating the cause of the incident. The fire was reported to be mostly under control by around 7 a.m., but fire crews remained on-site to ensure complete extinguishment of the flames, which originated from a process unit located at the southeast corner of the refinery.
A spokesperson for Chevron informed Eyewitness News that the fire was isolated to a specific area of the facility. When questioned about potential impacts on gas prices, the spokesperson noted that it was too early to assess any effects on fuel costs.
The fire's intensity was evident, with a bright orange glow visible across a large portion of Southern California. Eyewitness News interviewed a worker who experienced the fire firsthand. Describing the moment the fire erupted, he recounted, "Next thing I know, I hear like a big 'WHOOOSH'... it was like wind, but like pressurized wind." He described how the surroundings lit up, revealing shadows of towers and equipment, leading him to realize, "Oh my god. It's a fire." This prompted him to flee the scene as flames erupted nearby.
He continued to share, "Next thing I know, on my left side, the flare goes off... it's just a big old fire torch, you know what I mean? And I just feel the heat coming on the left side of my face, and I'm just like 'Oh man, I got to keep running, I'm already out of breath.'"
Fortunately, Chevron officials confirmed that all personnel were accounted for, with no injuries reported during the fire. This incident marks one of several fires that have occurred at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo since 2016. Notably, this is the fourth significant fire at the facility; the previous incident occurred in 2022, where firefighters successfully contained the flames without any injuries.
In 2018, a power failure at the refinery led to a burn-off, creating significant black smoke visible for miles, but posing no threat to public safety. Earlier, in 2017, a fire near the storage tanks was extinguished within an hour, and in 2016, a fire involving several storage containers was also managed without injuries. These recurring incidents highlight the importance of safety protocols and emergency responses at industrial sites like Chevron's facility.
