A SAFETY watchdog is making enquiries at Fawley refinery after flares lit up the skies above the Solent following an "operational incident".
Flames shot into the air causing an orange glow described as a 'large sunset' for miles around.
A picture taken by James Guest, a passenger onboard a plane flying over Fawley at the time shows what looks like a scene from the film Armageddon explosion - although the burn was controlled.
ExxonMobil, which runs the site, said teams were dealing with "an operational incident" and that the use of flares was a normal safety procedure.
Now the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has confirmed it is now carrying out enquiries following the incident on Tuesday night.
"HSE is aware of the incident and carrying out initial enquiries,” a spokesperson for the watchdog said.
A spokesperson for the oil firm told the Echo it is in "dialogue with the HSE and will cooperate fully in its follow-up to the incident.
READ MORE: Union claims planned strikes at Fawley refinery 'could cause petrol shortages'
The GMB trade union, which represents workers at the refinery, said it believed ExxonMobil was forced to isolate a unit after a structure used in petrol production partially collapsed.
The union said it understood an incident involving kit to convert oil into liquified gas and gasoline, led to gas flaring.
READ MORE: Fawley refinery incident caused by 'collapse of structure', union says
Additionally, it said that because of the industrial action taking place on November 21 it believed it was highly likely that the production at the refinery could be affected.
Bryan Hulley, regional organiser of GMB, said: “The workings of an oil refinery are very complex however, as I understand it, this incident occurred on the catalytic cracking unit, which is widely known by workers at the site to be integral to the production of petrol.
“Our members who are due to take strike action work as pipe fitters, boilermakers, welders, mechanical fitters, laggers and scaffolders and so it is their job to repair this type of equipment.
“It is highly likely therefore that production could be affected.”
However, the oil firm says its site remains operational and there is no impact on fuel supply.
A spokesperson for ExxonMobil said: “We identified an issue on one of our units at around 4.40pm on Tuesday.
“Our own onsite teams safely and effectively addressed the matter, isolating the unit from operation.
“There were no injuries and there was no fire.
“We will now work to assess the steps required to bring the unit back into operation.”
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