Explosion in Tüpraş İzmir Oil Refinery: 4 Workers Killed

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An explosion occurred in the morning hours today (October 11) in Türpraş (Türkey Oil Refineries Corporation) Refinery in Turkey's western province of İzmir. Four workers have lost their lives and two others have been injured in the explosion.

Aliaga Sub-Governor Bayram Yılmaz making a statement on the incident said that the explosion occurred during the last controls of a naphtha tank that had not been in use for a long time.

"We had six workers working in the tank. Two have been injured and four others have unfortunately lost their lives. The injured are being treated by health teams there. We know that their condition is good at the moment. TÜPRAŞ's own experts are also at the scene. That is the last status".

Doğan News Agency reported that the explosion occurred at 9:25 a.m. while the workers were cleaning and welding in the tank.

In the earthquake on August 17, 1999, a massive fire broke out in Tüpraş İzmit Rafinery and it took three days to put out the fire.

In July 2015, fire broke out in the Tüpraş refinery in Aliağa district of İzmir and in February 2016 in the refinery in Kocaeli province. There were no casualties.

1.485 workers killed in 2017

According to the report of Occupational Health and Safety Council at least 147 workers lost their lives in September 2017, 1.485 workers have lost their lives in the first nine months of 2017 in occupational homicides. ÇT/DG)