A large explosion at an oil refinery near the Texas coast has shot plumes of smoke into the air and forced nearby residents to shelter in place. No one was injured in Monday’s explosion at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, about 90 miles east of Houston, Mayor Charlotte Moses said. She urged residents in parts of the west side of the city to stay put, saying firefighters had arrived. The refinery has about 770 employees and can process about 435,000 barrels of oil per day, according to Valero’s website. Images and videos posted online show a large plume of smoke and flames billowing out from the refinery.

Source: Irish Examiner March 24, 2026 22:51 UTC