Fire at Kuwait's largest oil refinery contained

0 Comments | AFP, September, 2008

KUWAIT CITY (AFP) — A fire broke out at Kuwait's largest oil refinery on Wednesday but was quickly brought under control, an oil official said.

"The fire is under control and will be put out in a few minutes," said spokesman for national refiner Kuwait National Petroleum Co, Ahmad al-Muzaiel.

Muzaiel told AFP that operations at the refinery and exports of crude or petroleum products had not been affected.

The blaze started in a crane operating near an oil tank at the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery, which has a capacity of 460,000 barrels per day (bpd), he said.

"The crane knocked off a small pipe connecting oil tanks at the refinery. That caused an oil leak and the fire," Muzaiel said.

Three teams of firefighters worked to put out the fire, he said,...