A massive fire and series of explosions rocked a South Philadelphia refinery complex, the largest on the East Coast, early Friday morning jolting people from their sleep and prompting a shelter-in-place.
Homes as far away as South Jersey were shook by a series of explosions as the blaze, which erupted shortly after 4 a.m., burned. Some residents in Philadelphia said the explosions knocked art off their walls.
“We’ve just had an explosion with heavy fire, [the commander] is requesting a third alarm for this location,” a fire official relayed to dispatchers shortly after the largest blast.