Fire Breaks Out at Valero Refinery in Port Arthur

A fire inside a tank at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur called for authorities to issue a 'shelter-in-place' order to all residents on the West side of the city Tuesday.

KCENTV reports that a 'heavy oil' storage tank caught fire just before noon on Tuesday and sent thick black smoke into the sky above the city. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion near the refinery at Highways 82 and 87 in Port Arthur.

Thankfully, there are no reports of injuries to workers at the refinery and everyone is accounted for. Several schools in the area were asked to shelter-in-place until about 2 pm yesterday when the order was lifted.