Tulsa Firefighters Successfully Contain Large Petroleum Tank Fire

Thick black smoke from a petroleum tank fire blanketed the skies over Tulsa County on Tuesday, visible from miles away.

As a precaution, firefighters evacuated nearby areas. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

A heavy plume of black smoke was emanating from the structure. It appeared to be a petroleum tank farm, with multiple tanks involved in the fire. Extinguishing petroleum fires is a challenge and water alone can sometimes exacerbate the situation.

Firefighters have been employing a mix of water and foam. The goal was to prevent the fire from spreading to surrounding structures.

In a statement, AXEL Royal confirmed that the fire originated in the west section of their oil blending unit and that all employees and visitors were safely accounted for and subsequently sent home. The fire was brought under control with the combined efforts of the Tulsa Fire Department and Holly Frontier’s internal resources.

The fire primarily impacted the oil blending unit and nearby outdoor base oil storage tanks.

Photo credit: Tulsa Fire Department. All rights reserved.