Fire reported at Valero refinery in Texas City

Lightning sparked a fire at the Valero plant Thursday morning in Texas City as heavy thunderstorms rumbled through the area.

Lightning hit a transformer at the refinery at about 7 a.m. Connecticut as storms moved inland from the Gulf of Mexico, Texas Emergency Management officials said.

The statement added that no impacts to the community are expected, but didn’t indicate whether production at the refinery was affected.

Authorities say nobody was hurt in the fire Thursday at a Valero refinery in Texas City.

Firefighters say there is no danger to residents in the area and no injuries have been reported. They are containing the flames to the transformer and are letting the fire burn itself out. Multiple people on social media told Eyewitness News they could see thick, black smoke coming from the facility.

We will update this story as details become available.