Oct. 22--A three-alarm fire at Tesoro's Salt Lake City refinery lit up the night skies Wednesday before firefighters put down the blaze.

The fire started just after 9 p.m., said Mark Bednarik, the public information officer for the Salt Lake City Fire Department.

City fire crews responded to the site, at 474 W. 900 North, joining the refinery's own fire crew in fighting the blaze.

Bednarik said the fire, which he described as "spectacular," was out by 9:30 p.m., with crews still working hot spots.

Portions of the refinery were evacuated during the blaze, but no residential areas were evacuated, Bednarik said. Some roads in the area, however, were blocked from traffic. Interstate 15 in North Salt Lake was closed in both directions between Center Street and 900 West. .

Two TRAX trains traveling between the Salt Lake City and Woods Cross stations were also shutdown and passengers were transported by buses between the two stops, Bednarik said.

Bednarik said a power outage at the refinery around 2 p.m. shut down some equipment. When it was restarted, crude oil began to leak and pool at the site.

Around 9 p.m., the pooled crude oil caught fire at the base of a flare stack, a long narrow tube that burns off excess gases and spread to a 200-yard radius. Bednarik didn't know how the crude oil ignited.

There were no injuries, he said, but the fire damaged several trailers and some equipment.

Salt Lake City and

Unified Fire Authority HAZMAT teams remained on scene until after 11 p.m. Roads in the area were reopened about the same time.

According to the Tesoro Web site, the Salt Lake City refinery handles gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel.

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