Explosion at New Mexico oil refinery sends thick smoke across Artesia

ARTESIA, N.M. (AP) — Emergency crews responded Friday to an explosion at an oil refinery in New Mexico as thick smoke emerged from the plant and drifted across parts of the city of Artesia before crews were able to extinguish the flames.

Navajo Refinery operator HF Sinclair said that the fire had been extinguished and that three people were transported off-site for medical attention. No other injuries were reported.

Air monitoring on the perimeter of the refinery and in a nearby community showed no risk to public safety, said Corinn Smith, a spokesperson of HF Sinclair. It was unclear whether refinery production was affected.

Artesia Police Commander Pete Quiñones said that police and other first responders scrambled to the site before the fire was contained.

Authorities said the smoke had dissipated by Friday afternoon and roads were reopened. The New Mexico Environment Department said it was sending a team to Artesia to assess conditions and monitor air quality.

The refinery sits adjacent to Artesia’s main intersection, which serves as an artery from the Permian Basin in the southeastern corner of the state to the rest of New Mexico. The company’s website notes that the facility has a crude oil capacity of 100,000 barrels per day, making it the largest in New Mexico, but it wasn’t immediately clear how full the plant was at the time of the incident.

The plant serves markets in the southwestern United States by processing oil acquired from the basin, which is one of the busiest in the world. It operates alongside a refining facility in Lovington, about 65 miles (105 km) away.

HF Sinclair, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, also owns and operates refineries in Kansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Washington state and Utah.

___ Associated Press writers Morgan Lee in Santa Fe and Christopher L. Keller and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque contributed to this report.