Fire at Chevron oil refinery in Wales

An explosion caused a fire at a Chevron oil refinery in Wales on Thursday and the company was trying to account for all of its employees at the site, officials said.

An explosion caused a fire at a Chevron oil refinery in Wales on Thursday and the company was trying to account for all of its employees at the site, officials said.

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Ambulance officials confirmed there were casualties in the fire at the Pembroke refinery in Wales, but they couldn't provide a number. The refinery employs 1,400 people.

Chevron spokesman Sean Comey said the blaze has been extinguished. He was unable to confirm a report by Britain's Press Association that two people died in the blaze, which sent thick plumes of black smoke into the sky.

A spokeswoman for Morriston Hospital in Swansea confirmed that one male casualty had been brought in and admitted but said no further information on his condition was available.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the explosion. A fire department spokesman confirmed that five engines responded to the blaze at around 6:20 pm (1720 GMT; 1:20 pm EDT). The spokesman declined to give his name, citing company policy.

In March, Chevron agreed to sell the Pembroke refinery along with other marketing and logistics assets throughout the UK and Ireland to Valero Energy Corp. for $1.73 billion.