Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is operating normally despite a massive explosion and fire at the Chevron oil refinery in El Segundo, California, just a few blocks away.
The Chevron oil refinery explosion on Thursday night lit up the skies and startled nearby residents, but officials confirmed that flights in and out of LAX were not disrupted.
According to NBC News, the blaze began at around 21:32 PST (Friday, 04:32 SAST) when a fireball shot into the sky, with flames clearly visible for miles.
Chevron later confirmed that no workers or contractors were injured, and all staff were safely accounted for.
Residents living near the refinery said they felt panic when they saw the fire.
“I saw this thing just go up… I was literally in panic mode,” said Howard Thorne, an El Segundo resident.
The refinery’s emergency team, along with firefighters from El Segundo and Manhattan Beach, worked through the night to contain the flames.
By 23:00 PST (Friday, 05:00 SAST), helicopter footage showed crews using ladder trucks to douse hotspots. Authorities stressed that the blaze was confined to specific units of the refinery and did not pose a risk of spreading into nearby neighbourhoods.
The City of Manhattan Beach urged residents to stay indoors as a precaution but did not issue evacuation orders. Chevron added that its monitoring systems detected no dangerous emissions outside the refinery’s perimeter.
The El Segundo Chevron refinery is the largest on the US West Coast, covering 1,000 acres and handling up to 290,000 barrels of crude oil daily. It produces about 20% of Southern California’s motor fuel and nearly 40% of the jet fuel used in the region.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said his office was working closely with local and state agencies “to protect the surrounding community and ensure public safety” while monitoring the incident.
Despite concerns over the proximity of the refinery to LAX, airport officials confirmed that flight schedules remained unaffected.
No delays or diversions were reported overnight, and the airport continues to operate as normal.