Shafaq News – Baghdad

A gas pipeline explosion at an Energy Police facility in northwestern Baghdad killed one officer, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

According to a statement, the blast, caused by a technical fault at the Akkarkuf (Agarguf) gas valve, ignited a fire that destroyed several military and civilian vehicles. Three others were injured, two with minor burns.

A security source told Shafaq News the explosion occurred during maintenance work at a valve in the Ibrahim bin Ali area and was quickly contained after firefighters arrived.

The Energy Police, part of the Interior Ministry, protect Iraq’s oil and gas infrastructure, where accidents linked to aging pipelines occasionally occur.