Huge Fire Erupts at Corio Oil Refinery in Geelong

A large fire broke out at the Corio oil refinery in Geelong, Victoria, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. The facility is one of only two currently operational oil refineries in Australia.

Victoria Police reported that emergency services were called to the scene around 11pm. The blaze resulted in significant smoke plumes that were visible for miles across the region.

Emergency Warnings and Public Safety

The Country Fire Authority issued a watch and act warning for a large area of Geelong. The alert specifically urged anyone located to the south of Refinery Road in Corio to take shelter indoors immediately.

Residents in the affected areas were instructed to stay indoors and keep their windows closed to avoid smoke inhalation. Authorities also urged the public to stay off the roads to ensure emergency services could respond to the scene without obstruction.

According to emergency advice, a change in wind direction caused smoke from the factory fire on Refinery Road to be blown toward the Northern Geelong area.

Response and Current Status

Information from the Victoria Emergency website indicated that the blaze was not yet under control. The incident map reported that 10 vehicles were responding to the fire.

Fire and Rescue Victoria was contacted for comment regarding the operation to contain the fire at the Corio facility.