Operations at oil terminal in northwestern Latvia suspended as tank catches fire
Xinhua, June 2, 2015 Adjust font size:
Operations at Ventspils Naftas Terminals (VNT) oil terminal in the northwestern Latvian port city of Ventspils were suspended after an empty oil tank caught fire there on Monday afternoon, the company's representative told local media.
One of the company's tanks, which did not contain any oil products at the moment, caught fire during repair works at 5:25 p.m. on Monday, VNT representative Elina Dobulane said.
People were evacuated from the terminal, which was disconnected from power. All operations at the terminal were halted as seven fire brigades rushed to put out the flames. Nobody was injured in the fire accident.
"The company's management assures that the there is no threat to the company's staff or local residents," the oil terminal's representative said.
Viktorija Gribuste, a representative of the Latvian State Fire and Rescue Service, said that smoke from the burning rubber gasket of the tank's hatch had spread to the city. The fire-fighters managed to put the fire under control by Monday evening.
An internal inquiry will be conducted to establish the causes of the fire.
Ventspils Nafta, the parent company of VNT oil terminal, is listed on the NASDAQ Riga stock exchange. The company's key shareholders include multinational energy company Vitol and Latvijas Naftas Tranzits. Endit