An explosion struck one of the largest oil refineries in the United States—Valero Port Arthur in Texas—forcing part of its production capacity offline.
The fire originated in a diesel hydrotreating unit. While the blaze was contained, it could not be fully extinguished immediately due to residual fuel.
The facility has a processing capacity of 435,000 barrels per day, making it one of the five largest refineries in the country. It is estimated to account for roughly 1–2% of total U.S. refining capacity.
Preliminary reports point to a possible malfunction of an industrial heater as the cause of the explosion. This marks the second such incident in Texas over the past two weeks.