Police and management at the Haifa Oil Refineries are investigating
the cause of an explosion in the heart of the giant bayside complex
on Wednesday morning in which 11 workers were lightly to moderately
injured.
The blast, at 7.15 am, occurred in a furnace that was in the final stages
of being refurbished but which was not connected to the refining process
at the plant.
The explosion caused parts of the building housing the furnace to collapse,
injuring the workers who fortunately were outside at the time. A senior
MDA official said the fact that nobody was inside the building prevented
more serious casualties.
Large forces of police, MDA ambulances and paramedics, and Fire and
Rescue Service tenders and crews raced to the scene. Police quickly
released a statement to reassure members of the public that the blast
was not the result of a terror attack, and that there had not been a
leak of any hazardous materials.
The Oil Refineries management said their emergency teams dealt with the incident which was over before
8 a.m.
A statement issued by the management said the cause of the explosion
was being thoroughly investigated. The announcement said four other
workers were treated for shock at the scene. The injured workers were
given first aid at the plant by MDA paramedics and were taken to Rambam
and Bnei Zion hospitals in Haifa.
The furnace that was being refurbished is used in the process of refining crude oil, but was not in operation
at the time because of the repair and maintenance work.
The Oil Refineries site, the scene of fires and industrial accidents in the past, is part
of a huge complex which includes several chemical and petro-chemical
factories.
The latest incident, which is also being investigated by police, led
to renewed calls from environmental groups for public representation
on safety and security supervisory groups at the site. |
