An explosion and fire at the Marathon Refinery in Carson has caused officials to close down the 405 Freeway to be shut down early Wednesday morning.
According to a report by NBC in Los Angeles reports that the fire was believed to have been started by an explosion at the plant just before 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday. A short time later, the blaze started inside a cooling tower at the plant.
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Although Marathon Refinery has its own fire department at the site, Los Angeles County Fire was also called to the plant to help put out the massive blaze and to keep it from spreading. The California Highway Patrol stopped traffic on the 405 Freeway a substantial distance away about a half an hour. The freeway opened again 11:35 p.m.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department later released a statement early Wednesday indicating that the supply lines to the refinery had been shut off and that the blaze was contained. HazMat sensors also indicated that the air quality for the area surrounding the plant was considered safe.
Officials say that workers at the Marathon Refinery were able to help firefighters keep the blaze under control by depressurizing the system and using a series of fixed ground monitors.
No injuries were reported in connection to the incident; however, some area residents said they heard a series of explosions just before the fire broke out. Residents from as far away as Santa Monica reported having seen the fire.
So far, authorities have not confirmed how the fire started. The incident is still currently under investigation.
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