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| Explosion reports at oil refinery | Explosion reports at oil refinery |
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| Emergency services are at the scene of a fire at an oil refinery in Essex amid reports of an explosion. | Emergency services are at the scene of a fire at an oil refinery in Essex amid reports of an explosion. |
| Crews were called to the Petroplus Coryton refinery, near Stanford le Hope, at about 1130 GMT. | Crews were called to the Petroplus Coryton refinery, near Stanford le Hope, at about 1130 GMT. |
| Essex Fire Service said the fire was on the ground floor of a tower and flames were 100ft (30.5m) up a column. | Essex Fire Service said the fire was on the ground floor of a tower and flames were 100ft (30.5m) up a column. |
| The service said foam was being used to tackle the blaze. A search was carried out for "persons reported missing" but all staff have now been accounted for. | The service said foam was being used to tackle the blaze. A search was carried out for "persons reported missing" but all staff have now been accounted for. |
| Police said there were currently no reports of any casualties. | Police said there were currently no reports of any casualties. |
| Ten fire appliances and seven special units are at the refinery which lies 30 miles (48km) from London, along the Thames Estuary. | Ten fire appliances and seven special units are at the refinery which lies 30 miles (48km) from London, along the Thames Estuary. |
| Marion Coleman, who lives about 14 miles (22km) away on Canvey Island, told BBC Essex: "There was a massive explosion. | Marion Coleman, who lives about 14 miles (22km) away on Canvey Island, told BBC Essex: "There was a massive explosion. |
| "Our house shook, all the windows rattled and there were flames rising to the height of the chimneys at Coryton. | "Our house shook, all the windows rattled and there were flames rising to the height of the chimneys at Coryton. |
| "Black smoke was billowing up into the sky." | "Black smoke was billowing up into the sky." |
| Ray Howard is a member of Castle Point Borough Council which covers Canvey Island, Benfleet, Thundersley and Hadleigh, and lives nearby. | Ray Howard is a member of Castle Point Borough Council which covers Canvey Island, Benfleet, Thundersley and Hadleigh, and lives nearby. |
| "Some almighty explosion occurred, it shook my house," he said. | "Some almighty explosion occurred, it shook my house," he said. |
| "The next thing, all I saw was huge flames and smoke coming from the refinery." | "The next thing, all I saw was huge flames and smoke coming from the refinery." |
| The borough's emergency planning officer has been called to the scene and Essex Police said Petroplus had instigated its own emergency plans for such an incident. | The borough's emergency planning officer has been called to the scene and Essex Police said Petroplus had instigated its own emergency plans for such an incident. |
| Police said a non-toxic smoke plume was drifting towards Canvey Island. | Police said a non-toxic smoke plume was drifting towards Canvey Island. |
| Homes and premises in the vicinity of the site are not going to be evacuated at this stage, police said. | Homes and premises in the vicinity of the site are not going to be evacuated at this stage, police said. |
| The Swiss oil company Petroplus brought the Coryton Refinery from BP in May 2007. | |
| The complex, which was originally commissioned in 1953, has a refining capacity of 10 million tonnes a year. | |
| Were you at the fire? Did you take any pictures? You can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124. If you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions | Were you at the fire? Did you take any pictures? You can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124. If you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions |
| Send your comments using the form below. At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | Send your comments using the form below. At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |