Smoke is rising above an oil refinery in the United States and locals are being told to shelter in place after an explosion rocked the facility.
The incident happened at a refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, owned by the fuel company Valero. It employs about 770 workers, according to its website, and produces 435,000 barrels per day, processing it into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
The city, with a population of about 56,000, is located in the southeast corner of the state. Its police and fire departments have told residents in the west side of the city to take shelter, and the Texas Department of Transportation has told drivers to avoid the area, but there are no evacuation orders at this time.
“To ensure the safety of all residents in the vicinity in light of the recent explosion at the Valero Refinery, an immediate shelter-in-place is ordered,” said the fire department.
“For your safety, please remain in place until the all clear is given by emergency personnel.”
Sheriff Zena Stephens has suggested an industrial heater caused the explosion, though that is only a preliminary assessment.
“The type of incident is unknown at this time,” Antonio Mitchell, from the fire department, stressed to the media.
Officials are monitoring the air quality around the refinery. There are no reported injuries.
According to 12 News, a local station, witnesses reported hearing a loud boom, which “rattled car windows”, as the fire erupted.
One resident said the area smelled like “rotten eggs”.
The incident is poorly timed, given it comes during an energy crisis, sparked by America and Israel’s war against Iran.
The Iranian regime has closed down the Strait of Hormuz, a major bottleneck for the global oil trade, for all but a select few favoured ships.
That has led to shortages, and to a severe spike in the price of crude oil worldwide. Even after an easing of the price today, due to US President Donald Trump’s decision not to follow through on his threat to escalate the war, it is still hovering around $US100 per barrel.
This disruption to one of the larger refineries in the United States will not help.
Late last week, the International Energy Agency described the current oil supply disruption as “the largest in history”.
“Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries around 20 per cent of global oil consumption, (has been) reduced to a trickle,” it said.
“The loss of these flows has tightened markets significantly, pushing crude oil prices above $US100 per barrel and driving even sharper increases in refined products such as diesel, jet fuel and liequified petroleum gas.
“Restoring transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains essential to stabilise global energy markets.”
To that end, Mr Trump threatened, over the weekend, to “hit and obliterate” Iran’s “various power plants, starting with the biggest one” if it did not “fully open” the strait.
He gave the regime a 48-hour deadline. But today, about 12 hours before it passed, Mr Trump offered it a reprieve.
“I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE COUNTRY OF IRAN, HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES,” Mr Trump wrote on social media.
“I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS.”
Later, speaking to reporters in Florida, Mr Trump said there were “major points of agreement” between the US and Iran, and he would “see where they lead”.
“I would say that if they carry through with that, it will end that problem, that conflict, and I think it’ll end it very, very substantially,” he said of the talks.
“They want very much to make a deal. We’d like to make a deal too.
“We’re doing a five-day period. We’ll see how that goes. If it goes well, we’re going to end up settling this. Otherwise, we just keep bombing our little hearts out.”
Mr Trump would not reveal whom, exactly, was negotiating on Iran’s behalf, saying merely that it was a “respected” person, and was not the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
