Blast rocks oil refinery in Texas (VIDEOS)

Footage from the scene shows fire and thick black smoke rising from the Valero facility in Port Arthur

An incident at Valero’s refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, triggered an emergency response, with witness footage showing flames and thick black smoke billowing above the facility.

Local residents described hearing a loud boom and feeling their homes shake from miles away as first responders were dispatched to the plant following reports of an explosion on Monday evening.