A massive explosion and fire broke out at the Valero Oil Refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, one of America's biggest oil refinery hubs. Black smoke was seen billowing up into the sky from the refinery. The facility processes roughly 435,000 barrels of oil per day, serving as a critical artery for the production of gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel.
The explosion caused a fire that broke out at approximately 7:20 PM on Monday, 23 March, sending plumes of acrid black smoke over the Texas Gulf Coast and triggering emergency shelter-in-place orders for thousands of residents.
