BAIJI, Iraq—An explosion at a fuel storage tank caused a huge blaze at Iraq's largest refinery on Monday, inflicting burns on at least 36 workers and killing three before being brought under control, witnesses said.
An engineer at Baiji refinery, some 180 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad, said the blast had destroyed the plant's liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) unit, where the fire had broken out, but other operations were unaffected.
A Reuters cameraman at the complex said he saw at least one dead body and had counted 36 others suffering from burns. Workers were evacuated as flames raged through the LPG unit.
A police official in Baiji said three people had been killed in the blaze—one engineer and two others whose bodies were charred beyond recognition.
Two hours after the blaze erupted, firefighters succeeded in bringing it under control, said the engineer, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity. He blamed the fire on an accident.
"There was no sabotage. It was caused by a technical fault," he said.
He said the LPG unit had been shut down for repairs and was coming back online on Monday when it was rocked by an explosion at 2.30 p.m. (1130 GMT) and then a second a few minutes later.
The initial explosion was at a storage tank containing 5 million litres of fuel.
Firefighters, Ambulances
"This is the biggest fire I have ever seen at Baiji refinery. We have not had a fire like this before," said the engineer, employed at the complex since 2003.
The engineer said he knew of one fatality and 24 injured. ...
An engineer at Baiji refinery, some 180 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad, said the blast had destroyed the plant's liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) unit, where the fire had broken out, but other operations were unaffected.
A Reuters cameraman at the complex said he saw at least one dead body and had counted 36 others suffering from burns. Workers were evacuated as flames raged through the LPG unit.
A police official in Baiji said three people had been killed in the blaze—one engineer and two others whose bodies were charred beyond recognition.
Two hours after the blaze erupted, firefighters succeeded in bringing it under control, said the engineer, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity. He blamed the fire on an accident.
"There was no sabotage. It was caused by a technical fault," he said.
He said the LPG unit had been shut down for repairs and was coming back online on Monday when it was rocked by an explosion at 2.30 p.m. (1130 GMT) and then a second a few minutes later.
The initial explosion was at a storage tank containing 5 million litres of fuel.
Firefighters, Ambulances
"This is the biggest fire I have ever seen at Baiji refinery. We have not had a fire like this before," said the engineer, employed at the complex since 2003.
The engineer said he knew of one fatality and 24 injured. ...
Iraq bombs hit Sunni stronghold (click here)
Riyadh Samarrai's wife mourned by his coffin at a mosque A double bombing in Baghdad has killed at least 14 people, including the head of a US-backed armed group which fights al-Qaeda in Sunni Muslim areas.
Police say a suicide bomber struck at the entrance of the Sunni Endowment, or Waqf, office in Adhamiya district.
A second suicide attacker set off a car bomb a few metres away as people fled from the scene of the first explosion.
Riyadh Samarrai, leader of the Adhamiya Awakening group, also a Waqf employee, was killed along with his son.
The attacker is believed to be from among the more hardline Sunni insurgents who do not want reconciliation in Iraq, the BBC's Humphrey Hawksley reports.
Other bombs killed at least five people in Baghdad on Monday.
'Bomber's embrace'
One of Mr Samarrai's bodyguards told reporters the suicide bomber had walked up to the former police colonel and embraced him before detonating his explosives....
Fort Lewis soldier killed in Iraq; first death of 2008 (click here)
P-I STAFF
A Fort Lewis soldier was killed by a homemade bomb Saturday in Iraq -- the first death of 2008 in the war for a man or woman in uniform with links to Washington.
The Defense Department said Pfc. Jason F. Lemke, 30, of West Allis, Wis., was killed when the explosion struck his vehicle in Ibrahim Al Adham. He was with the 4th Stryker Brigade, which was sent to Iraq in April.
Fort Lewis said Lemke enlisted in the Army in 2004 and was sent to the Pierce County base in 2005.
P-I STAFF
A Fort Lewis soldier was killed by a homemade bomb Saturday in Iraq -- the first death of 2008 in the war for a man or woman in uniform with links to Washington.
The Defense Department said Pfc. Jason F. Lemke, 30, of West Allis, Wis., was killed when the explosion struck his vehicle in Ibrahim Al Adham. He was with the 4th Stryker Brigade, which was sent to Iraq in April.
Fort Lewis said Lemke enlisted in the Army in 2004 and was sent to the Pierce County base in 2005.
