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No injuries reported after explosion at Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas

By Scripps News Group Mar 23, 2026 | 6:21 PM

Police in Port Arthur, Texas, asked residents to shelter in place Monday evening following reports of an explosion at a Valero refinery in the community. Photos showed a large explosion had taken place, sending a plume of black smoke into the sky.

Port Arthur police later confirmed a Valero refinery as the scene of the explosion.

Mayor Charlotte M. Moses told the Associated Press that no one was injured.

Police asked residents on the west side of the city to shelter in place. That shelter in place order was lifted early Tuesday.

The Valero refinery in Port Arthur is one of the largest in the U.S., capable of processing 360,000 barrels of oil a day.