Sonatrach's Oil Depot Catches Fire in Algeria

12-31-2007
 
A large fire broke out at an oil storage facility belonging to Algerian state-owned energy company Sonatrach, in Bejaia, some 230 km east of Algiers, on Saturday.

Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control quickly, according to a statement issued by the General Directorate of the Civil protection here.

The fire was ostensibly provoked by a storm accompanied by thunder and lightning, that hit the oil storage facility which has a storage capacity of 50,000 cubic meters, the statement said.

Firefighters of the civil protection squads, backed by rapid task crews of Sonatrach and nearby corporations managed to put out the fire and prevent it spreading to other locations.

Firefighters keep on high alert to stave off any renewal of the fire, the statement added.

The blaze in the Sonatrach oil depot, located in a densely-populated area, left however no casualties.

The thundering and lightning have caused some panic among residents of Bejaia since Saturday morning.