Geelong Refinery Fire: No Injuries, Fuel Worries

0:00A massive fire ripped through the Viva Energy Oil refinery in Jalong's Corial Area, late Wednesday night, just after 11 p.m. Fire crews got calls about explosions and huge flames and the blaze quickly grew ferocious fueled by liquid petrol, gases, and vapors. It's one of Australia's only two refineries left, employing over 1,100 people. Officials say the cause was equipment failure, probably a leak or valve issue and is looking like an accident. The fire is still burning in a contained section of the plant, but crews can't get close due to the intense heat from a tall tower. No one's fighting it directly right now, though the flames are starting to ease up. Luckily, there are no injuries. All workers and responders are accounted for, and no health alerts are out. Air quality is good in Corio, and no contaminants are spreading, but folks are told to steer clear of the water in Corio Bay. Fuel worries are front and center, since this hit the petrol production zone.

1:00Diesel and jet fuel are still coming out at reduced rates, but petrol could be hit hard for a while. Ministers assure no immediate supply crunch, yet analysts predict tighter restrictions soon. Trading in Viva Energy Shares is halted until they update the market, and investigations are underway. With energy security already shaky down under, this blaze highlights how thin our fuel margins really are. Stay tuned for updates as they fight to get production back online. Local news powered by AI. This is Sydney News Today. I'm Corey, with the story.