EL SEGUNDO - Firefighters knocked down a major fire that erupted at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo Tuesday night, authorities said.

It was not immediately clear what sparked the massive inferno, which started about 10:30 p.m., according to a news release from the company.

KTLA’s aerial video over the scene showed the raging fire coming dangerously close to power lines as firefighters attempted to extinguish the blaze with water and foam. It was not immediately clear if power in the area was impacted.

Bright, orange flames and thick plumes of black smoke were visible from at least several miles away at the Los Angeles International Airport, an LAX camera showed.

The smoke was blowing into nearby residential areas, prompting the El Segundo Police Department to issue an alert and warn residents to close their doors and windows.

Around 11:15 p.m., firefighters gained the upper hand on the blaze, and it appeared to have been knocked down a few minutes after that, video over the scene showed.

The fire was officially extinguished at 11:18 p.m., according to the news release.

Story Date: October 20, 2017