Massive Fire at Venezuelan Oil Terminal Extinguished

A significant fire that broke out early Tuesday at an oil tank in La Salina terminal, operated by Venezuela’s state-owned oil company PDVSA, was successfully extinguished on Wednesday, authorities reported.

The fire began during a storm at the facility, which is located near the city of Cabimas in western Venezuela. The terminal is used by PDVSA to store and transport crude oil between domestic ports. The blaze caused large fireballs and thick black smoke to rise into the air, and hot steam was released, resulting in minor injuries for 24 workers and nearby residents. Two explosions occurred, and high temperatures damaged the tank’s structure.

The fire was fully brought under control after more than 24 hours. Crews continued to cool the tank with water to prevent any further issues.

PDVSA confirmed the fire occurred at crude tank 75012 and praised the firefighters for preventing the flames from spreading to other tanks. PDVSA’s ageing infrastructure frequently suffers from fires and power outages, often disrupting normal operations.

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