Refinery Fires Are Increasing—But Protections Are Disappearing
Valero’s Fire Problem is a Warning for the Oil & Gas Industry
Earlier this month, a fire broke out at Valero Energy's Corpus Christi refinery in Texas. This latest incident marks the fourth reported fire in the press since December 27 of last year. Although no injuries were reported in the most recent incident, a large flash fire in January injured workers, including five who just filed a lawsuit citing safety failures and negligence.
These four incidents under a single refinery operator are just a few examples of a dramatic increase in fires and explosions at oil and gas plants and refineries in the Gulf Coast region since 2017. Beyond the immediate risk to workers, refinery fires expose surrounding communities to hazardous pollutants like benzene and sulfur dioxide, which have been linked to respiratory diseases and increased cancer rates. Fires also place significant strain on local emergency responders and contribute to long-term environmental degradation.
According to compiled reports, between 2019 and 2024, the number of fires and explosions nearly quadrupled compared to the previous five years. In fact, 79.3% of all major recorded incidents from 2013 to 2024 occurred in just the last six years.
What happened? In 2018, the Trump administration rolled back key provisions of the Chemical Disaster Rule, allowing oil and gas plants to avoid third-party safety audits and limiting transparency around prior safety violations. Now, the second Trump administration is considering rolling back additional protections, which could further weaken industry oversight.
The data suggests a direct link: In 2018, the first major wave of regulatory rollbacks coincided with a sharp increase in fires and explosions. With further deregulation on the horizon, the trend is unlikely to reverse.
As a result, we expect to see more examples of communities fighting back via lawsuits against chemical and petroleum companies whose loose safety regulations and negligence lead to worker injuries, community health impacts, and environmental degradation. Fines and settlements have historically been too low to deter repeat violations. Legal action by victims may be the only avenue for enforcing better safety standards across the oil & gas industry.
A Crossroads for the Oil & Gas Industry
The oil and gas industry faces a choice: invest in safety or let disasters become routine. With legal battles mounting and public scrutiny growing, companies like Valero must decide whether they will change or risk losing public trust altogether. History has shown that industries resistant to reform often face harsher consequences down the road. The choice is theirs, but the cost of inaction will be paid by workers and communities.
With regulators under pressure to weaken safety rules, independent oversight is critical. Unions, environmental groups, and journalists expose violations, but without real penalties, the industry will keep prioritizing profit over safety. The public must demand stronger protections before the next disaster strikes.