A massive fire has broken out at the Viva Energy refinery in Geelong, one of just two operational oil refineries in Australia, with emergency services battling a blaze that remains uncontained as of early Thursday morning. Fire Rescue Victoria reported the incident began around 11:05pm on April 15, following multiple accounts of explosions and flames at the Corio facility.
The refinery, capable of processing up to 120,000 barrels of oil daily into petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and other products, is a critical piece of Australia’s domestic energy infrastructure. Firefighters arrived to find a significant fire impacting the facility, though all staff have been accounted for, according to a statement from Fire Rescue Victoria. The severity of the blaze prompted a watch and act warning for a wide swath of Geelong suburbs, stretching from Armstrong Creek to Whittington, with residents urged to stay indoors and seal windows against hazardous smoke.
Wind changes have pushed smoke across the greater Geelong area, compounding the risks for local communities. Victoria Emergency and the Country Fire Authority have advised those south of Refinery Road in Corio to take immediate shelter. Authorities have also called on residents to avoid roads, clearing the way for emergency response teams to manage the crisis.
The timing of the incident adds pressure to an already strained global energy market, with recent geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing Iran conflict, disrupting oil shipments worldwide. Australia’s reliance on just two domestic refineries—Geelong and a second facility in Brisbane—heightens the potential impact of any operational downtime at the Viva Energy plant, which the company itself classifies as a major hazard facility on its website.
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Emergency services, including Victoria Police, have reinforced the urgency of safety measures for those in the vicinity. The fire’s status as of 2:15am on April 16 showed no signs of containment, with smoke continuing to spread.
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