Video shows smoke billowing after Valero refinery explosion
Video shows smoke billowing after Valero refinery explosion
Julia Gomez, USA TODAY Tue, March 24, 2026 at 5:57 PM UTC
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Video shows smoke billowing after Valero refinery explosion
An explosion at a Texas oil refinery forced residents to shelter in place.
On Monday, March 23, an explosion at the Valero Port Arthur Refinery was reported, according to a post on the City of Port Arthur's Facebook. Port Arthur, Texas, is a city located around 90 miles east of Houston.
"Nobody's hurt, thank God for that," said Port Arthur Mayor Charlotte Moses during a Facebook livestream.
Video shows moments after the explosion, when smoke plumes billowed into the sky.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation, according to a statement Valero Energy emailed USA TODAY.
USA TODAY has contacted the Port Arthur Fire Department for more information.
Watch the aftermath of the explosion
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Residents asked to shelter in place
Firefighters were on the scene, working to extinguish the resulting fire, when Moses made her announcement during a live stream.
Several areas were placed under a shelter-in-place order after the explosion to ensure public safety until emergency personnel gave the "all clear."
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The order was placed to ensure air quality had not been impacted by the explosion, according to Valero. The order has since been lifted after monitoring showed there were no concerns.
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Explosion comes as gas prices are up
The explosion comes as fuel costs have gone up because of the United States and Israel’s war with Iran, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting.
As of Tuesday, March 24, the national average was $3.97 a gallon, according to AAA. Just a month ago, the average was $2.95.
The refinery processed about 435,000 barrels of oil each day and turned heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, according to Valero's website.
This story has been to add new information.
Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers popular toys, scientific studies, natural disasters, holidays, and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Smoke seen after Valero oil refinery explosion in Port Arthur, Texas
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