Shafaq News – Kirkuk

A fire broke out on Thursday at a warehouse storing automotive oil in Kirkuk’s new industrial district, injuring one worker, according to a security source.

The source told Shafaq News that findings linked the blaze to an electrical short circuit, adding that flames spread rapidly due to stored lubricants and “black oil,” which ignited two parked vehicles, one carrying oil barrels.

Civil Defense teams, the source noted, contained the fire after more than an hour, preventing it from reaching adjacent workshops and stores stocked with similar flammable materials.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause and assess the full extent of the damage.

The incident follows a series of industrial fires in Kirkuk, including a blaze at a building materials factory on October 25 that injured five people and another major fire at a spice plant earlier this month. The Civil Defense Directorate has repeatedly warned that electrical faults and poor storage conditions remain the leading causes of such incidents.

Nationwide, Iraq recorded a 58% decline in fire incidents in 2025, attributed to tighter safety enforcement, improved firefighting capacity, and greater public awareness. Over 9,400 establishments were temporarily closed this year for failing to meet safety standards, most of which have since reopened after compliance.