Fire broke out at Chevron refinery in El Segundo, sending feathers in South Bay
The explosion and fire shocked a refinery in El Segundo on Thursday night, igniting a fire that could be seen for miles.
The city of El Segundo said there was a fire at the Chevron refinery, but there were no public threats or evacuation orders.
When the explosion occurred around 9:30, the video shot showed that when the explosion roared loudly, a large number of fireballs burst out. But over the next hour, the fire gradually faded away and the sky was clear to a large extent, while the bright, intense flames continued to burn near the Chevron plant south.
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Not long ago at 10:30 p.m., Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell told KCAL-TV that the fire was mostly contained. She said the injury was not reported immediately, and “there is no alarm in the surrounding area”. She noted that officials will monitor air quality conditions and advise residents in possible areas to stay indoors.
El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel told KCAL that the fire had never been extended outside the refinery and that all personnel had been explained. He added that the cause of the fire remains unclear.
Smoke was visible in the El Segundo and South Bay areas, and firefighters shot the water flow on the fire. The refinery has its own fire department, with other regional agencies assisting in the response.
On North Redondo Beach, smoke sank the orange sky.
Firefighters fired at the Chevron Refinery in El Segundo on Thursday, October 2, 2025.
(KTLA)
Julian Reese, 13, said he and his father felt a big explosion and ran outside and saw the flames fill the sky.
At the Aviation Park just a few miles from the Chevron factory, Mark Rogers competes in his weekly adult football league every week when the apparent explosion occurs.
Rogers, 34, said: “I thought we had nuclear weapons or something.
Keith Mohr, 53, lives south of the refinery in Manhattan Beach. After feeling the explosion, he told his wife to catch their dog and go to the car. Once officials say there is no public safety threat, they come home.
“It’s a 300-foot flame,” Moore said, noting that he has lived in the refinery for more than two decades and has never seen anything like Hell on Thursday. “I don’t know if the plane crashed or an earthquake or both.”
Traffic shifted to the scene when the blockade was carried out from Vista del Mar to the Pacific Coast Expressway and from Rosecrans Avenue to El Segundo Boulevard along Rosecrans Avenue.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom both introduced the incident Thursday night. Bass said a statement on X had no known impact on Los Angeles International Airport. The governor’s office said it is coordinating with local and state agencies to protect surrounding communities and ensure public safety.
The refinery fire is part of life in South Bay, home to several major oil production facilities.
In 2022, firefighters spent two hours on fire at the El Segundo facility. In 2020, a fire at Carson’s marathon oil refinery fired at least 100 feet into the air, sparking hours of attention. But the fire was eventually brought under control, causing significant damage to the refinery operations.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
