One worker killed, four wounded as oil refinery catches fire

KOCAELİ – Doğan News Agency

DHA photo

One worker was killed while four others were wounded when a fire erupted at Turkey’s largest oil refinery, Tüpraş, in the northwestern province of Kocaeli.  

The fire started at the refinery’s crude oil unit at around 10:40 p.m. and continued for nearly an hour before specially-trained fire squads brought it under control at 11:45 p.m. Initial reports suggest the fire was caused by sparks during welding. 

A worker, identified as Mustafa Er, lost his life while four other workers, whose identities have been revealed as İzzet Günay, Medeni Kurt, Vedat Arabacı and Yücel Zengin sustained injuries. 

All wounded workers were brought to Derince Training and Research Hospital to receive treatment over their burns. 

Petrol-İş Workers’ Union Chairman Ali Ufuk Yaşar visited the wounded workers, all of whom were members of the union. Yaşar said the worker who died in the fire was an outsourced worker.

Meanwhile, a public prosecutor also arrived at Tüpraş to conduct an investigation into the deadly incident.