Fire erupts in oil tank at Chevron Pasadena Refinery

PASADENA, Texas (KTRK) -- A fire at the Chevron Pasadena Refinery sent thick smoke billowing into the air early Tuesday morning.

Chevron said that around 5:45 a.m., it discovered the fire on an oil tank in the northeast corner of the property near the Houston Ship Channel.

Refinery staff activated its emergency response plan, notifying agencies and Pasadena and Harris County officials, who were on site to help, the company said in a release.

Chevron said the fire at the facility, located at 111 Red Bluff, was extinguished at 6:30 a.m., followed by an all-clear given at 8:45 a.m.

Views from SkyEye showed multiple fire trucks at the scene. Water was also being sprayed onto the tank as white smoke rose more than 600 feet into the air.

Officials are doing air quality tests. Chevron said no offsite impact to the air has been detected so far.

The Ship Channel, Washburn Tunnel, and some nearby streets were closed as a precaution, but have since reopened.

No one was injured.

There's no word what started the fire, but the incident is under investigation.