ecr: twitter
Durban woke up to an explosion at an Engen-operated crude oil refinery on Friday morning in the Merebank area, off the M4 highway, south of the city.
Visuals showed massive flames engulfing parts of the facility with thick plumes of smoke rising into the atmosphere. Others show nearby homes having caught alight.
Seven people were injured, but as yet no deaths have been reported.
Several fire engines were seen spraying foam onto the affected part of the refinery and ambulances and police were still well into the morning.
An Engen spokesman said the company would issue a statement in due course - its not yet clear what caused the explosion and ensuing fire.
According to Engen's website, the Durban plant has a crude refining capacity of 120-thousand barrels per day.
South Africa has six refineries, four using crude oil and two using synthetic fuel as feedstock.
