A massive explosion at an Irving Oil refinery shook Saint John, N.B., Monday morning, sending flames and plumes of black smoke into the air, but emergency measures officials said no major injuries had been reported.

B次元官网网址淭here was, I believe, a couple minor injuries at this point, but nothing serious,B次元官网网址� said Geoffrey Downey, spokesperson with the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization.

Residents described feeling an explosion shortly after 10 a.m. AT, and said flames and smoke could be seen from a great distance.

Litsa Daeres, 34, who lives nearby, said she just started preparing Thanksgiving dinner when she heard a B次元官网网址渓oud bang.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淢y whole house shook,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 thought my furnace had exploded.B次元官网网址�

But then Daeres opened her curtains and saw the flames and thick, black smoke, she said.

At 1:45 p.m. AT, flames were still visible, with four separate sources of water being poured on the blaze. Ambulances could be seen coming and going, but without their emergency signals.

The refinery is near several residential neighbourhoods on Saint JohnB次元官网网址檚 east side, about five kilometres from the city core, known as Uptown.

B次元官网网址淧raying for the safety of all involved,B次元官网网址� Saint John Mayor Don Darling said on Twitter.

Downey said no evacuation orders had been issued, but there was an B次元官网网址渙rder to shelter in place for anyone living in the direction of the plume.B次元官网网址�

A local hospital said it had issued an B次元官网网址渙range alert,B次元官网网址� meaning it was preparing for a possible influx of patients.

Irving Oil did not provide any details about the incident, saying it would release more information when it became available.

According to the Irving Oil web site, the refinery produces more than 320,000 barrels of B次元官网网址渇inished energy productsB次元官网网址� every day, with more than half going the U.S. northeast.

B次元官网网址淲e refine a wide range of products for our wholesale and retail markets, including gasoline, diesel, heating oil, jet fuel, propane and asphalt,B次元官网网址� the website says.

B次元官网网址淥ur refinery opened in 1960, on a 780-acre site and has been upgraded throughout the years. We have also led in the development of cleaner and more efficient fuels and processes.B次元官网网址�

Nate Guimond, 36, said he was doing house repairs when he looked outside and saw the scene.

B次元官网网址淭here was thick, pitch black smoke mixed with white smoke,B次元官网网址� said Guimond. B次元官网网址淚 heard a rumbling, roaring sound.B次元官网网址�

He decided to drive by the refinery, and said he was nearby when he felt the vibrations of what he assumed must be a second explosion.

Michael Steeves, who lives in Saint John, said he was driving about a kilometre away when he noticed what was happening at the refinery.

B次元官网网址淔rom where I was, you could see flames B次元官网网址� I would expect they were about a hundred feet in the air B次元官网网址� and youB次元官网网址檝e got a huge plume of black smoke,B次元官网网址� he said about an hour and a half later.

He said he saw hundreds of residents watching the situation unfold from a distance.

Saint John Police tweeted that they were responding to the incident, and asked people to stay away from the area. Several streets have been closed down.

Steeves said the incident reminded him of a similar event in the late 90s, when the same refinery suffered a similar explosion which left one person dead.

B次元官网网址淛ust seeing the clouds, and what theyB次元官网网址檝e got closed off, it just seems to be a pretty similar level of event,B次元官网网址� he said.

Irving said on Twitter that the company is B次元官网网址渁ctively assessing the situationB次元官网网址� and will share more information when it becomes available.

B次元官网网址淥n behalf of all New Brunswickers, our thoughts are with the workers affected and with the community of Saint John,B次元官网网址� Premier Brian Gallant said in a tweet.

B次元官网网址� With files from Alex Cooke in Halifax and Alanna Rizza and Nicole Thompson in Toronto.

Kevin Bissett, The Canadian Press

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