A horrific explosion at a Texas crude oil refinery prompted an immediate shelter-in-place order. The blast occurred at the Valero Refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. “At this time, numerous emergency crews are on the scene following a major explosion at a Valero refinery. Large flames are visible, with heavy smoke rising and seen for miles. Multiple witnesses reported feeling the ground shake at the time of the blast,” Rawsalerts wrote. “A shelter-in-place order has been issued for nearby residents as a precaution while crews work to contain the situation. The cause of the explosion remains unknown and is currently under investigation,” the post added. #BREAKING: A shelter-in-place has been issued after a major explosion occurred at a refinery plant #PortArthur | #Texas At this time, numerous emergency crews are on the scene following a major explosion at a Valero refinery. Large flames are visible, with heavy smoke… pic.twitter.com/qr1EXdlie5 — R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) March 24, 2026 More from the New York Post: One resident at the scene told 12News that the entire area reeked of rotten eggs — a smell commonly associated with sulfur. Others told the outlet that the explosion rattled their homes and vehicles. Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens suggested that the explosion may be linked to a mishap with a heating unit at the refinery, the outlet reported. Officials monitored the air quality in the area throughout the day as the smoke from the refinery blanketed the sky. No injuries were reported as of Monday evening. A representative for the Valero Energy Corporation told The Post that all personnel at the refinery were accounted for. The Valero Port Arthur Refinery sits near the Texas Gulf coast and along the Texas-Louisiana border. The facility employs roughly 770 workers and is responsible for producing upwards of 435,000 barrels of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel daily. Locals who felt the tremors caused by the explosion were shocked that officials didn’t move to evacuate the city. Security footage trending online shows how the blast violently shook the surrounding area. Lou’s boom heard at Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas https://t.co/kleAjmeUJ0 pic.twitter.com/zVtPHXfZME — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 24, 2026 Watch additional footage below: Following reports of an explosion, a massive fire can be seen at the Valero oil refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. pic.twitter.com/I3UYBTS41A — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 24, 2026 BREAKING: Explosion and fire reported at Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas pic.twitter.com/i7UpGeZENH — Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) March 24, 2026 FOX 26 Houston shared further: Residents in the surrounding areas are being strongly encouraged to remain indoors, keep windows and doors closed and follow guidance from local officials. Port Arthur officials said to expect road closures in and around the area of Highway 82 and Highway 87 and traffic coming into the area from additional roadways. Sheriff Zena Stephens told FOX Beaumont the explosion was likely caused by an industrial heater. Officials also told FOX Beaumont that there were no reported injuries. “Valero’s emergency response team is responding and coordinating with local authorities,” the company said in a statement. “As a precaution, Jefferson County officials have closed State Highways 82 and 87. As always, the safety of our workers is our top priority.” Both the Texas Department of Emergency Management and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality have personnel at the scene. TCEQ said in a statement that teams are monitoring air quality at the site. “Emergency response coordinators and regional staff have been deployed with handheld and mobile air monitoring assets in response to the Valero fire in Port Arthur, TX and are coordinating activities through incident command.” TCEQ spokesperson Laura Lopez said in a statement. “Updates will be shared on our social media channels (Facebook and X) as they become available.”