Valero Energy Corp.’s Meraux, Louisiana, refinery experienced an explosion early this morning (April 10), a New Orleans television station reported.
One person is reportedly injured, WWL-TV in New Orleans reported, quoting a local fire chief. Firefighters from St. Bernard Parish were with Valero’s refinery fire department and confirmed there was a fire around 1 a.m. on Friday. The fire was contained around 3 a.m. The injured worker has been transported off-site to a local hospital.
Valero’s emergency response team is on the scene and working closely with the St. Bernard Fire Department, they stated, and the fire is contained to the immediate area and no off-site impact is expected.
Valero has contacted local authorities and is cooperating with appropriate agencies.
“Our primary concern is for the safety of our workers and the community,” the company said.
The Valero Meraux Refinery, located on 550 acres in St. Bernard Parish southeast of New Orleans, is a complex refinery with a total throughput capacity of 135,000 barrels per day and significant hydro-processing capacity. Meraux’s dock is located on the Mississippi River, about 40 miles from the Valero St. Charles Refinery,” according to the company’s website.
Police temporarily shut down the roads as first responders worked to get the fire under control.
