Emergency Crews Quickly Contain and Extinguish a Fire at Irving Oil's Saint John Refinery

A fire broke out at the Irving Oil Refinery in east Saint John on Monday morning, producing a large plume of black smoke. The incident began shortly after 9:00 a.m. following reports of a product leak. The Saint John Fire Department responded swiftly, working alongside the refinery’s emergency response team to contain and extinguish the fire. Authorities confirmed that there were no injuries and no threat to the surrounding community, emphasizing that the situation was quickly brought under control.

Irving Oil described the event as an “operational incident” on its Facebook page, stating that operations have since returned to normal. The company has not yet provided further details or responded to media inquiries.

Local resident and environmental activist Gordon Dalzell recounted hearing the refinery’s emergency alarms and contacting the facility, where he was told the fire was minor and under control. Dalzell expressed relief, noting the heightened concern given the refinery’s history, including a significant explosion and fire in 2018.