Large blast at Valero oil refinery in Texas sends smoke, flames into the air
CBSN
A large explosion at a Valero oil refinery near the Texas Gulf coast Monday shot plumes of smoke into the air and forced some nearby residents to shelter in place. In:
A large explosion at a Valero oil refinery near the Texas Gulf coast Monday shot plumes of smoke into the air and forced some nearby residents to shelter in place.
But Port Arthur Mayor Charlotte Moses told CBS News, "We had no fatalities and no injuries! Valero is working diligently to contain the fire and currently we have no air quality issues."
Still, she urged residents in parts of the west side of the city to say put.
Refinery spokesperson Carol Herbert told CBS News, "All personnel have been accounted for. Valero's emergency response team is responding and coordinating with local authorities. ... As always, the safety of our workers is our top priority."
The explosion comes amid a spike in gas prices driven by uncertainty over the global oil supply because of the Iran war.

Washington — President Trump said early Monday that he is postponing airstrikes on Iran's power plants after "very good and productive conversations" over the last two days about reopening the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran's foreign ministry denied any such talks. Claire Day contributed to this report. In:












