US oil refinery explosion near New Orleans under investigation: Report

Authorities said Friday that they are investigating an explosion and fire at the Chalmette Refinery near New Orleans in the southern US state of Louisiana after a blast sent thick smoke into the air, according to a media report Friday.

According to a report by WDSU News, officials said emergency crews, including firefighters and refinery response teams, quickly arrived at the scene Thursday and prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the refinery.

The fire was later extinguished, and no injuries were reported among workers, emergency responders or residents living nearby.

Authorities also said no evacuation orders were issued for surrounding neighborhoods or schools, while air monitoring around the refinery did not detect dangerous conditions.

The report noted that investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion and whether emergency warning alarms functioned properly during the incident.