A powerful explosion at the TÜPRAŞ Refinery in İzmir’s Aliağa district caused a fire on Thursday evening. The incident occurred in the U-7000 unit, which houses the facility’s crude oil furnace.
The fire quickly spread, prompting the refinery to request assistance from a nearby fire department. Efforts to control the blaze are ongoing, though no official statement has been made by authorities.
The explosion and subsequent fire were visible from a wide area, with the impact reportedly felt in Aliağa’s town center. The force of the blast also caused noticeable tremors at Petkim petrochemical company’s nearby residential lodgings, according to local accounts.
The fire was contained about an hour later and no one was injured, TÜPRAŞ later said in a statement. The company did not mention an explosion, which was reported by witnesses.
Earlier this month, another fire occurred at the Kocaeli facility of TÜPRAŞ, Turkey's largest oil refiner, injuring 12 workers. (VK)
