Video shows smoke billowing after Valero refinery explosion

An explosion at a Texas oil refinery forced residents to shelter in place.

On Monday, March 23, an explosion at the Valero Port Arthur Refinery was reported, according to a post on theCity of Port Arthur's Facebook.Port Arthur, Texas, is a city located around 90 miles east of Houston.

"Nobody's hurt, thank God for that," said Port Arthur Mayor Charlotte Moses during aFacebook livestream.

Video shows moments after the explosion, when smoke plumes billowed into the sky. The cause of the explosion has not been made public yet.

USA TODAY has contacted Valero Energy and the Port Arthur Fire Department for more information.

Watch the aftermath of the explosion

A man makes his way through debris at the site of overnight Israeli airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 6, 2026.
Fresh strikes rocked Iran and Lebanon on March 6, as Israel vowed to escalate to a new phase in the Middle East war that has spiralled rapidly throughout the region and beyond.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs on March 6, 2026.

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs on March 6, 2026.

Displaced residents who fled Israeli airstrikes in Beirut's southern suburbs sit along the corniche waterfront in the Lebanese capital on March 6, 2026. Fresh strikes rocked Iran and Lebanon on March 6, as Israel vowed to escalate to a new phase in the Middle East war that has spiraled rapidly throughout the region and beyond.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> People inspect destruction at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted Mar Mikhael neighbourhood in Beirut's southern suburbs, on March 6, 2026.

People inspect destruction at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted Mar Mikhael neighbourhood in Beirut's southern suburbs, on March 6, 2026.

A shattered window overlooks first aid responders and security forces working near a building that was targeted by an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Sidon on March 6, 2026.

Damaged buildings are seen in in Beirut, Lebanon after an Israeli strike, March 6, 2026.

An explosion on Beirut's southern suburbs after an Israeli strike, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 6, 2026.

A man stands near a damaged building after Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday, following renewed hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 5, 2026.

An ambulance is parked near a sweeping blaze following Israeli bombardment on a solar farm and electricity generation facility in Lebanon's southern coastal city of Tyre on March 4, 2026.

An Israeli Air Force AH-64 Apache attack helicopter fires rockets while flying at a position along the border between northern Israel and southern Lebanon on March 4, 2026. Israel's military said on March 4 that it had begun striking southern Lebanon after issuing a call to evacuate all areas south of the country's Litani river.

Firefighters extinguish a fire at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Haret Hreik neighbourhood in Beirut's southern suburbs, with a portrait of Iran's slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visible on the rubble, on March 4, 2026.

Debris litters a street following an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Maamoura neighbourhood in Beirut's southern suburbs on March 4, 2026.

A plume of smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut's Haret Hreik neighborhood on March 4, 2026.

A man leaves a hotel after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Hazmieh, east of Beirut, on March 4, 2026.

Plumes of smoke rise from the sites of Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 3, 2026. The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for dozens of locations in Lebanon on March 3, including warning residents in two southern Beirut neighbourhoods to stay away from several buildings ahead of an imminent operation.

Israel air strikes pound Beirut as Middle East attacks escalate

A man makes his way through debris at the site of overnight Israeli airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 6, 2026.Fresh strikes rocked Iran and Lebanon on March 6, as Israel vowed to escalate to a new phase in theMiddle East warthat has spiralled rapidly throughout the region and beyond.

Residents asked to shelter in place

Firefighters were on the scene, working to extinguish the resulting fire, when Moses made her announcement during a live stream.

Several areas were placed under a shelter-in-place order after the explosion to ensure public safety until emergency personnel gave the "all clear."

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Explosion comes as gas prices are up

The explosion comes as fuel costs have gone up because of theUnited States and Israel's war with Iran, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting.

As of Tuesday, March 24, the national average was$3.97 a gallon, according to AAA. Just a month ago, the average was $2.95.

The refinery processed about 435,000 barrels of oil each day and turned heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, according to Valero's website.

Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers popular toys, scientific studies, natural disasters, holidays, and trending news. Connect with her onLinkedIn,X,Instagram, andTikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Smoke seen after Valero oil refinery explosion in Port Arthur, Texas