Massive Fire Erupts at Venezuela's La Salina Oil Terminal

A significant fire broke out at the La Salina oil terminal in Venezuela, operated by PDVSA, due to a storm. The blaze led to minor injuries and was almost extinguished by Wednesday. The incident underscores frequent infrastructure failures at the state oil company.

A massive fire broke out on Tuesday at an oil tank in Venezuela's La Salina terminal, managed by state firm PDVSA, and was almost fully extinguished by Wednesday, as reported by firefighters in Cabimas.

The fire, triggered by a storm early on Tuesday at the facility near Venezuela's western city of Cabimas, produced large flames and black smoke, inflicting minor injuries on over 21 employees and neighbors. According to videos reviewed by Reuters, two explosions along with intense heat compromised the tank's structure.

By Wednesday, officials noted that the fire was contained 90% to 95%. PDVSA declared that the blaze was isolated to crude tank 75012, preventing its spread to other areas. The adjacent Bajo Grande terminal remained unaffected. Such incidents are frequent due to the deteriorating infrastructure of PDVSA, causing frequent operational disruptions.

(With inputs from agencies.)