Reports of explosion, smoke at Valero refinery in Port Arthur; shelter-in-place issued for west side residents
Residents near Port Arthur are urged to shelter after an explosion at the Valero refinery.
PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Reports are flooding in from around Mid-County that there was an explosion followed by a pillar of smoke rising from the Valero refinery in Port Arthur.
12News viewers have called in to say that they heard a boom that rattled car windows.
Port Arthur Police and Fire Departments are advising residents on the west side of the city to shelter in place at this time, according to an emergency alert.
Antonio Mitchell with the Port Arthur Fire Department confirmed there is an incident at the Valero facility but said details remain limited at this time.
"We don't have units at the scene, currently, they're rolling there now. The type of incident is unknown at this time," Mitchell said.
Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens said the incident may have involved a heater unit. Officials are currently monitoring air quality in the area.
Authorities emphasized that no evacuations have been ordered at this time.
A resident at the scene told a 12News crew that the area smells like rotten eggs.
The Texas Department of Transportation is also urging drivers to avoid the area.
"Motorists are being asked to avoid SH 87 and SH 82 near Valero Refinery," TxDOT said in a traffic alert.
No injuries have been reported at this time.
Smoke seen rising from Valero Port Arthur refinery
The City of Port Neches Fire Department and city officials said they are aware of the explosion and active incident but that there is currently no impact to Port Neches. Officials said they are actively monitoring the situation and will provide updates if conditions change.City of Nederland officials also said there is no impact to their community at this time. Police and fire departments are actively patrolling and conducting air monitoring on the south side of the city while continuing to assess developments.
Both cities encouraged residents to rely on verified information and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports.
