A massive fire broke out in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Thursday, devastating one refinery, Iranian media reported.
“The fire at the refinery has been contained and will be completely extinguished by noon,” Shaker Khafai, a spokesman for the Tehran refinery, told IRNA.
A column of black smoke was still visible above noon above the fire site, AFP news agency reported, although it was no longer as thick as the day before. A report broadcast by state television from the scene showed fire brigades fighting the flames.
Officials said a massive fire broke out on Wednesday at about 7 p.m. 30 min local time after an explosion due to a gas pipe leak. An investigation into the incident has been launched, Iranian authorities said.
The refinery is located in a large industrial area on the outskirts of Tehran, just a few hundred meters from residential areas. The factory, which has been operating since 1968, can process 250 thousand barrels of oil per day, IRNA reported.
The fire broke out just hours after Iran’s navy reported that one of its largest ships, the Kharg, had sunk in the Gulf of Oman after catching fire.
Be the first to comment