After mystery of shipwreck, fire affects refinery in Iran

TEHRAN: Hours after learning of the suspicious sinking in the Gulf of Oman of Iran’s largest navy ship, in another seemingly unrelated episode, a large fire broke out at an oil refinery in southern Tehran after an explosion caused by a leak in a liquefied gas pipelinesaid the head of the Iranian capital’s Crisis Staff, Mansour Darajati.

“A leak in an emergency liquefied gas line caused the accident, an explosion started the fire, causing the smoke that we are seeing,” Darajati told state television.

More than an hour after the start of the incident, thick black smoke and flames were visible several kilometers from the refinery.

According to the public broadcaster’s website, Darajati said the fire started around 7:30 p.m. local time and that so far, no deaths have been reported.

The refinery, in operation since 1968, is owned by the Tehran Oil Refining Company and can process 250,000 barrels per day, indicated the official agency Irna.

The facility is located at the southern end of the city, in an industrial area a few hundred meters from residential areas.

A company spokesperson rejected “any speculation on sabotage”, according to state television Telegram. “The accident occurred as a result of a technical problem and we are currently trying to control the fire,” he added.

State television reported that the fire affected 18 tanks. “Firefighters are surrounding the area and trying to control the blaze so that it does not spread to other fields,” said one of their reporters on the ground.

Although the causes of the fire are not yet known, temperatures in Tehran reached nearly 40 ° C on Wednesday. High summer temperatures have already caused fires.

The blaze comes hours after the Iranian navy announced the sinking of one of its tankers in the Gulf of Oman, after hours of unsuccessful firefighting.

Industrial accidents are common in IranBut Israel, an enemy of the Islamic Republic, is emerging as the prime suspect in two incidents last year at Iranian nuclear program facilities that Tehran has called sabotage.

AFP and AP Agency

THE NATION