12 injured in oil refinery fire in Turkey
Istanbul: A fire erupted at the TUPRAS oil refinery in the northwestern Turkish province of Kocaeli on Tuesday, injuring 12 people, according to a statement from TUPRAS.
TUPRAS said a fire broke out at 1:30 p.m. local time (1030 GMT) during compressor maintenance at its Izmit refinery. According to initial assessments, 12 staffers were lightly injured, all of whom have been transferred to the hospital, the company added.
It noted that the fire had been brought under control and the related unit had been safely shut down, while “other operations at the refinery are continuing as normal.”
Meanwhile, the local broadcaster NTV reported that an explosion and an ensuing fire took place at the refinery during a planned drill, giving no details about the drill.
“There was a planned drill. An issue occurred during that drill. It was brought under control. The firefighting teams intervened, and there is no problem,” Kocaeli Mayor Tahir Buyukakin was quoted by NTV as saying.
Following the explosion, TUPRAS shares, which saw a 3-percent decline, were suspended from trading on Borsa Istanbul, the sole exchange entity of Türkiye, until the required special situation disclosure is issued, according to NTV.
TUPRAS, or Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation, is a leading player in the country’s energy sector, with its four refineries’ annual crude oil processing capacities totaling 30 million tonnes, Xinhua news agency reported.