Huge fire rips through Philadelphia refinery, no casualties reported

[June 21, 2019]  (Reuters) - Fire ripped through a Pennsylvania oil refinery early on Friday, triggering a huge explosion that local media said rocked homes several miles away.

Video footage showed the 335,000-barrels-per-day Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery, where another fire broke out 11 days ago, engulfed in flames.

There were no immediate reports of casualties at the complex, which NBC Philadelphia said employs around 1,000 people. It quoted officials as saying the fire had been contained.

The crude section at the Girard Point portion of the refinery was shut down due to the fire, intelligence provider Genscape said.

Philadelphia Energy Solutions spokespeople were not immediately available for comment.

Nearby roads were closed and thick smoke blanketed most of central and south Philadelphia, NBC Philadelphia said.

"Philadelphia Fire Department is asking residents and businesses east of the fire location in south Philadelphia to shelter in place until further notice," the City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management said in a tweet.

Three fire stations and a hazardous materials response crew were mobilized, a fire department official said.

Fire broke out on June 10 at the same refinery, which according to a source familiar with plant operations affected a 50,000-barrels-per-day catalytic cracking unit.

(Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; writing by John Stonestreet; Editing by Dale Hudson)

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