Oil Tanker Catches Fire At Port of Catoosa, Site & Nearby Businesses Evacuated

The Tulsa Port Authority said Wednesday that an oil tanker at the Port of Catoosa caught fire.

The blaze caused evacuations at the site and nearby businesses.

Authorities asked residents to shelter in place until the situation was under control.

Tulsa Port Authority said Wednesday that an oil tanker at the Port of Catoosa caught fire.

The fire caused evacuations on site and at nearby businesses. Residents asked to shelter in place and HAZMAT team called.

— DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) February 16, 2023

It appeared the fire was contained strictly to the port, authorities said.

Firefighters reportedly extinguished the fire until it was no longer a threat.

According to officials, welding repairs sparked the blaze.

Footage below:

🚨#UPDATE: Officials say Welding repairs started the fire that lead to temporary evacuations this afternoon the fire has been extinguished and no longer a threat to the public pic.twitter.com/avV1hCbPcA

— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) February 15, 2023

Newsweek reported:

A chemical fire in a storage tanker in an Oklahoma port has become the latest in a series of incidents across the U.S. in a matter of days.

Just before 9 a.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) on Wednesday, fire crews were alerted to the blaze at the Port of Catoosa, to the northeast of Tulsa. The port was evacuated, and a ‘shelter in place’ order given to nearby residents.

It is unclear what caused the fire, and whether it was toxic. Port officials told local media that they were unsure of what the tanker had contained. The Tulsa Fire Department said that it had been empty.

2 News Oklahoma obtained this statement released by the Tulsa Port Authority.

“Just before 9:00 AM today, the Tulsa Port Authority became aware of a fire involving a large storage tank on the north end of the navigation channel on land leased by HEP Oklahoma, LLC. As first responders were in route, the Port Authority sounded the Port-wide hazmat alarm accompanied by an electronic notification about the fire, advising certain areas to consider evacuating the port. As prevailing winds were from the east it was recommended that industries located due west of the fire evacuate. First responders from Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Rogers County Sheriff’s Department assisted in evacuating vehicles from the Port while Tulsa Fire Department was on scene responding to the incident. At approximately 10:30 AM, Tulsa Fire advised the Port Authority that the fire was extinguished and that normal port operations could resume. According to onsite/emergency responder reports, workers at the facility were performing maintenance on an empty tank, which may have had residual amounts of product which ignited and caused the plumes of smoke. No injuries were reported. Tulsa Ports is grateful for the quick and professional response of our first responders. Please direct all media and public inquiries regarding the HEP Oklahoma, LLC facility to [email protected]”