Huge fireball erupts over Exxon oil refinery in Baton Rouge after explosion

A large fireball erupted at an oil refinery after an explosion in Louisiana last night.

Plant owners Exxon said no one was hurt in the explosion at the refinery in Baton Rouge.

Flames could be seen shooting up from the Louisiana chemical center, according to Facebook videos.

The glow of the fire could be seen from miles away. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.

Social media footage showed Exxon Mobil Corp's 502,500 barrel-per-day plant was extinguished by the refinery's fire team on Wednesday morning.

An Exxon spokesman said in a statement: 'There are no injuries, with all personnel accounted for. The fire was contained to the area where it occurred.'

The perimeter and surrounding areas of North Baton Rouge will be actively monitored, the spokesman added, though 'at this point, all readings are non-detect'.

The plant reportedly produces some 6.7 billion pounds of petrochemical products in a year.

The company's integrated facilities in the southern American state produce a range of oil-based products - such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel - as well as everyday items like paint and plastic milk jugs.

The company earlier said the fire was contained in the area it occurred and there were no reported injuries with all personnel accounted for.

Exxon is monitoring air quality in the refinery and surrounding areas, company spokesman Jeremy Eikenberry said.

He added: 'We apologize for any inconvenience and concern this incident may have caused.

'We will continue to keep you updated with information as it becomes available. The safety of our workforce and community is ExxonMobil's highest priority.'

The Baton Rouge refinery is the fifth-largest in the US and has more than 1,250 full-time and over 1,800 contract employees, it's website states.

In a major explosion on Christmas Eve, 1989, at the same facility, one worker died and several others were injured, The Advocate reports.

Source: Daily Mail