A horrific fire erupted at an oil refinery outside of Los Angeles following an explosion Thursday night. Fire crews responded to a massive inferno at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo. Witnesses said the explosion felt like an earthquake or a nuclear bomb. “I thought we got nuked or something,” one witness said, according to the New York Post. “It was a blast thousands across SoCal could see. The Chevron refinery fire lit up skies for miles. Now, members of our Eyewitness News team relive those tense moments. We update the firefight and impacts on fuel supplies,” ABC7 Eyewitness News stated. It was a blast thousands across SoCal could see. The Chevron refinery fire lit up skies for miles. Now, members of our Eyewitness News team relive those tense moments. We update the firefight and impacts on fuel supplies – This morning at 6 from ABC7. https://t.co/4XzhuVxhUo pic.twitter.com/JdhqR79Z9k — ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) October 3, 2025 More from the New York Post: Videos taken when the explosion occurred showed a massive fireball erupting amid a loud, extended roar. “This was 300-foot flames,” Kevin Mohr, who was in Manhattan Beach, told the outlet. “I didn’t know if a plane crashed or there was an earthquake or both.” Officers and firefighters responded to the Chevron refinery in El Segundo after receiving multiple reports of an explosion, the El Segundo Police Department announced, according to KCAL News. The fire broke out at the facility’s Isomax 7 unit that converts mid-distillate fuel oil into jet fuel for nearby LAX, Reuters reported, citing sources. The cause of the inferno was unknown, along with the fire’s effect on the refinery’s ability to produce jet fuel for the airport. “We were able to respond with Chevron fire immediately, our station is about a .25 mile away from the gates of Chevron,” El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel said, according to CBS News. “Obviously, we are very concerned, and there is a lot of investigative work to be done to see what has happened,” Pimentel added. “Fire crews were battling massive flames at a Chevron oil refinery just outside of Los Angeles on Thursday night. California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said it was monitoring the situation and coordinating with state and local authorities to protect the surrounding community,” the Associated Press stated. Fire crews were battling massive flames at a Chevron oil refinery just outside of Los Angeles on Thursday night.California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said it was monitoring the situation and coordinating with state and local authorities to protect the surrounding community. pic.twitter.com/KJ5EaK5hNV — The Associated Press (@AP) October 3, 2025 CBS News shared further details: LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said crews contained the fire to one area of the refinery. She added that residents did not have to evacuate, but advised residents to stay inside and visitors to stay away from El Segundo for the time being. “It has been contained and there is no cause for alarm for El Segundo or the surrounding areas,” Mitchell said. Mitchell advised residents that the fire would most likely affect air quality in El Segundo and surrounding cities, but the South Coast Air Quality Management District said it had not noticed any elevated levels of toxins, though it noted conditions could change. “We’re currently not seeing any elevated of particulate matter or air toxins,” said Nahal Mogharabi, assistant deputy of communications for AQMD. “That may change as the smoke settles this evening.” Mogharabi recommended that residents close their doors and windows if they see or smell smoke. Additional coverage below: What is your thought?