Massive explosions at Philadelphia oil refinery shake nearby homes

Philadelphia oil refinery explosion
(Image credit: NBC)

A massive fire broke out at a major oil refinery in Philadelphia on Friday, and stunning video captured the moment of an explosion that shook nearby homes, The Washington Post reports.

Firefighters are responding at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining Complex after a fire broke out at around 4:00 a.m., with Philadelphia Deputy Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy saying early in the morning that "this is going to be a long operation" and that "it's confined, and it’s being addressed, but it is not under control."

Several explosions at the refinery shook homes in Philadelphia and "jolted people from their sleep miles from the scene," even being felt by some South Jersey residents, NBC reports. No injuries have been reported, the Philadelphia Fire Department said.

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This is the refinery's second fire this month, CBS News reports. The cause of the fire is currently unclear. Brendan Morrow

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.