Explosion, Fire Rip Texaco Refinery

An explosion at a Texaco refinery rocked the harbor area Monday and ignited an intense 90-minute fire in a processing unit.

There were no injuries and no evacuations.

No immediate cause was known, but there is no reason to suspect sabotage, said Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey. Texaco spokeswoman Kelly McAndrew said the chance of sabotage is “absolutely zero.”

Texaco has been criticized recently because oil company executives made racial remarks on an audiotape that was made public by plaintiffs in a discrimination lawsuit filed on behalf of nearly 1,500 black employees.

Monday morning’s explosion rattled windows and shook houses within five miles of the refinery.