Fire at Russian oil refinery Omsk injures seven people, but production continues

The local governor reported that seven people, including one person in serious condition, were hospitalized after an fire broke out at the Russian oil refinery in Omsk. However, the plant claimed to be operating normally and its production plans will not be affected.

The fire at the Omsk Refinery has been brought under control. The automatic safety system of the plant detected a fire within technological equipment. The refinery, Russia's biggest, said that it was operating normally.

Vitaly Khotsenko said that the Telegram app, which is used by the local governor to communicate, revealed seven hospitalized patients, one of whom was in a critical condition.

The plant controlled by Gazprom said that the fire will not affect their production plan. They would be able deliver it thanks to increased production capacity.

Social media reports claimed that a large explosion had been heard in several districts of West Siberia, a city located 2,700 km (1 700 miles) east from Moscow.

The cause of this fire was not immediately apparent. Drone attacks by Ukraine have targeted several Russian oil refineries.

In 2022, the Omsk refinery will process more than 21,000,000 metric tons of crude oil (420,000 barrels a day). (Reporting and writing by Olesya Astakhova; editing by Louise Heavens, Mark Potter, and Vladimir Soldatkin)

(source: Reuters)