Explosion rocks Saint John refinery

One person has been killed in an explosion at the Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick. The blast sent flames and a huge cloud of black smoke over the facility this morning.

Firefighters now have the fire under control. Two people have suffered minor injuries, said Anne-Marie Atkinson, a spokeswoman for the Saint John regional hospital.

Refinery manager Bob Chalmers said the fire began in a unit that processes heavy oil into refined product.

The refinery, Canada's largest, is on the Bay of Fundy. The port city is heavily industrialized and residents have complained for years of pollution problems, with some blaming the refinery.