BAGHDAD: A massive fire broke out late on Monday at a major fuel storage facility near Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region, leaving at least 20 people injured.
The explosion occurred just before midnight on Monday, sending dense plumes of smoke and towering flames into the sky.
According to local officials, no fatalities have been reported in the incident. Approximately 20 people sustained minor injuries, though a few required highly specialized medical treatment for severe burns.
The blaze, caused by a fuel leak that swiftly ignited, consumed more than three million liters of fuel. It also severely damaged 34 fuel tankers and four gas-oil tankers parked at the facility.
Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the initial fuel leak and the subsequent explosions.
Civil defense and emergency response personnel battled the inferno throughout the night. Sulaymaniyah Deputy Governor Shaho Osman later confirmed that the fire was successfully brought under control.
Despite significant physical damage to the facility, market representatives and the warehouse owner assured that the incident will not impact local fuel supplies or trigger a spike in gasoline prices.
For more details: Navamalayalam.com