KUWAIT: A massive fire engulfed an oil facility in an industrial area of Al-Ahmadi yesterday. The fire began around 2pm in a vehicle oil plant and Ahmadi fire teams reached the site within minutes. Eventually fire teams from Fahaheel, Mangaf, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hazardous materials, Mishrif, Al-Hilali and operations and back-up centers were called in to help battle the blaze.

Nearly 100 firemen were involved in trying to control the fire and prevent it from spreading to neighboring building. The fire was fueled by reservoirs of oil within the plant which exploded due to high pressure resulting from the temperature. Preliminary information indicates that the plant is approximately 1,000 square meters. It was not clear at the time the newspaper went to press the extent of the damage or if any civilians had been injured or killed in the blaze.

Several firemen suffered heat exhaustion and were treated on site. Kuwait Fire Services Directorate Director General Lt General Yousuf Al-Ansari and Deputy Director General for Fighting Affairs Brig Jamal Al-Blaihees, Director of Central Operations Brig Tariq Al-Sabti, Acting Ahmadi Fire Director Lt Colonel Ahmad Al-Habdan were on hand. Earlier this week a massive blaze shut Kuwait's 200,000 barrel-per-day oil refinery. Fires at industrial sites in Kuwait are not uncommon, though quickly controlled by Kuwait's well-trained fire brigades.