Firefighters are tackling a blaze at a major UK oil refinery where all staff have been evacuated.
Essar Oil UK, which owns the Stanlow refinery in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, say that 900 employees and 500 contractors work on the site which supplies 16% of all road transport fuels.
All staff have been accounted for.
Flames and a column of thick black smoke have been seen at the site after the fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon.
Cheshire Fire Service, which was called at 2.16pm, believes the blaze started at a manufacturing building inside the plant.
The force said: "Firefighters have been called to reports of a fire at Stanlow oil refinery in Oil Site Road, Ellesmere Port.
"All staff have been accounted for and have been evacuated.
"Crews are working with onsite firefighters to extinguish the fire which is believed to be in a manufacturing building within the plant."
The force said the fire has been confined to the site as of 3.30pm and crews are using a ground monitor and handheld monitor to extinguish pockets of flame.
Brian Howell, 60, said he was relaxing in the Eastham Ferry area, around eight miles away, before he "heard a loud 'whoosh' type explosion".
He added: "I looked over to Stanlow and there was an aggressive fire and lots of black smoke."
Essar said in a statement to The Chester Chronicle: "Earlier this afternoon a fire occurred at the SHOP chemical plant.
We are aware of the fire at the Stanlow Oil Refinery in Elllesmere Port, #Cheshire and are working with @CheshireFire to reduce any environmental impact.
— Env Agency NW (@EnvAgencyNW) August 22, 2018
"Both the site emergency services and Cheshire County Fire Service are in attendance to deal with the incident.
"All personnel have been accounted for.
"Refinery operations at Stanlow remain unaffected."
The Stanlow refinery has a team of 25 full-time staff to allow for immediate action to prevent potential catastrophes.
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Six fire engines are attending the scene in Oil Site Road.
Stanlow produces 4.4 billion litres of diesel and three billion litres of petrol annually, according to Essar Oil UK.
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