By At least 21 people, including workers, local residents, and firefighters, have been injured in a fire that erupted at a crude storage tank in Venezuela’s La Salina oil terminal on Tuesday. The facility, operated by state-owned oil company PDVSA, is located near the western city of Cabimas on the shores of Lake Maracaibo.
Mufid Houmeidan, chief of Cabimas’ firefighters, told Reuters, “Many people were exposed to high temperatures. We have counted 21 injured so far, all of them with minor lesions.” He added that the number of injuries could rise as the situation develops.
The fire, which began early Tuesday during a storm, has continued to rage into the evening, posing significant challenges for firefighting efforts. La Salina terminal is primarily used by PDVSA for transferring crude oil and fuel between domestic ports.
Firefighters reported they were working to control and smother the flames, which have produced a tall plume of black smoke visible for miles. However, Houmeidan noted that they were running low on the specialized foam needed to extinguish oil-related fires, potentially complicating containment efforts.
The affected storage tank reportedly contained about 75,000 barrels of oil when the fire broke out. Videos circulating on social media showed the tank’s structure collapsing, with bystanders in close proximity. Witnesses reported hearing an explosion later in the day, followed by an even taller column of fire.
“There was a boil over,” a source close to the operations explained, referring to the phenomenon seen in the videos where the fire appears to intensify suddenly.
This incident highlights the ongoing safety concerns at Venezuela’s oil facilities. Fires, power outages, and other accidents are increasingly common at PDVSA’s sites due to the deterioration of oil production infrastructure, refineries, terminals, pipelines, and vessels. These incidents frequently disrupt operations in Venezuela’s crucial oil sector.
While the nearby Bajo Grande terminal, jointly used by PDVSA and U.S. oil producer Chevron for crude and fuel exports, was reportedly unaffected by the incident, the fire at La Salina underscores the challenges facing Venezuela’s oil industry.
PDVSA has not yet responded to requests for comment on the incident. As the situation continues to unfold, local authorities are monitoring the potential need for evacuations in nearby communities, though initial assessments suggested this would not be necessary.
