Al-Sulaymaniyah rules out drone strike in fuel depot fire

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

The large fire at a fuel storage yard in the Tanjaro industrial area of Al-Sulaymaniyah was not caused by a drone attack, the province's Civil Defense Directorate confirmed Tuesday, estimating losses at about $3 million.

“Investigations into the exact cause were continuing, though preliminary indications pointed to a failure to follow safety rules and procedures as the likely main cause,” the directorate's head, Brigadier Ari Mohammed Ali, told a news conference, adding that the yard held more than three million liters of petroleum products, including gasoline and gas oil, and the fire was confined to a single yard.

The blaze injured 18 workers, one of whom was in critical condition with burns to about 90 percent of his body. Four Civil Defense personnel —two officers and two staff members— also sustained injuries.