A fire broke out late at night at the Shell Parade oil refinery in Corio, Geelong, prompting emergency services to respond swiftly. The incident occurred around 11pm, and by 2am, authorities were still managing the situation, with no injuries reported so far.
Residents in the nearby areas have been advised to stay indoors and keep their windows shut due to the substantial smoke generated by the fire. As smoke drifted towards the northern suburbs of Geelong, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) issued a “watch and act” warning at approximately 1.10am. Specifically, those living south of Refinery Road in Corio were urged to seek shelter immediately, close all external doors and windows, and turn off any heating or cooling systems.
The CFA further instructed the public to avoid the area if possible, and if driving, to ensure vehicle windows were shut and air conditioning turned off, in order to keep roads clear for emergency services.
The warning, which escalated from a previous advisory, impacted several suburbs, including Chilwell, Corio, and Newtown, highlighting the potential smoke effects from Refinery Road to West Fyans Street and further east towards the waterfront.
Australia currently has only two operational oil refineries after the closure of six others over the last two decades. The Geelong facility, part of Viva Energy, processes up to 120,000 barrels of oil daily and supplies more than half of Victoria’s fuel requirements. However, the ongoing crisis from the war in Iran raises concerns about potential impacts on fuel supply, although it remains unclear how this fire might affect the situation.
Viva Energy has been approached for further information regarding the incident.