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| Fire crews tackle refinery blaze | Fire crews tackle refinery blaze |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| 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 but flames were 100ft (30.5m) up a column. | Essex Fire Service said the fire was on the ground floor of a tower but flames were 100ft (30.5m) up a column. |
| The service said foam was being used to tackle the blaze and a search for "persons reported missing" had been completed and all staff were now safe. | The service said foam was being used to tackle the blaze and a search for "persons reported missing" had been completed and all staff were now safe. |
| Essex Fire Service's assistant chief fire officer Mark Hardingham said: ""We are now involved in tactical meetings to decide on the next phase of action to extinguish the fire. | Essex Fire Service's assistant chief fire officer Mark Hardingham said: ""We are now involved in tactical meetings to decide on the next phase of action to extinguish the fire. |
| "Two foam lines have been laid out as a precaution at this stage." | "Two foam lines have been laid out as a precaution at this stage." |
| 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. |
| Foam and water is being used to tackle the blaze | Foam and water is being used to tackle the blaze |
| Mr Hardingham added: ""This is a site that is well known to us and we regularly visit the refinery to carry out training exercises with Petroplus' own petrochemical experts in preparation for this type of event. | Mr Hardingham added: ""This is a site that is well known to us and we regularly visit the refinery to carry out training exercises with Petroplus' own petrochemical experts in preparation for this type of event. |
| "We are confident we have sufficient expertise and resources in place to bring the incident to a satisfactory conclusion." | "We are confident we have sufficient expertise and resources in place to bring the incident to a satisfactory conclusion." |
| 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 Swiss oil company Petroplus brought the Coryton Refinery from BP in May 2007. |
| Close to the M25, the Coryton site is responsible for loading about 700 tankers a day to meet 22% of the UK's forecourt demand. | |
| The complex, which was originally commissioned in 1953, has a refining capacity of 10 million tonnes a year. | 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. |