Fire at Basra’s Zubair 1 oil field kills division chief, injures four

BASRA — A fire early Sunday at the main turbine site of the Zubair 1 oil field in the Burjesia area west of Basra killed the warehouse division chief and left four others injured, including two in critical condition, according to the Basra Civil Defense Directorate and the Oil Ministry.

“The fire that broke out this morning at the main turbine site for oil export within Zubair 1 resulted in the death of the warehouse division director and left two workers in critical condition,” Basra Civil Defense head Mazen Mohammed told 964media.

He said firefighting teams were “still working to control the blaze, which started after a sudden turbine explosion,” adding that the site is sensitive because it houses the turbine system responsible for pumping crude oil to the export network.

Field crews were operating cautiously to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby units, he said.

A worker at the field, Ahmed Haitham, identified the victim as warehouse division chief Rathi Abdul Sahib. He said Abdul Sahib “died while performing his duty after receiving a report of a leak in the warehouse and immediately heading to the site.”

“The explosion occurred while he was on the phone with civil defense teams, causing burns and suffocation that led to his death instantly,” Haitham added. Several employees sustained minor burns and were treated at company clinics.

In a statement, the Oil Ministry said the fire began at 9:15 a.m. Sunday after a gas leak in one of the pumping systems in the old section of the Zubair 1 storage facility. Emergency and firefighting crews from Basra Oil Company, the governorate, and other agencies were dispatched, achieving “partial control” of the blaze.

“Such incidents require time for full control and complete extinguishment,” the ministry said, extending condolences to the victim’s family and wishing a swift recovery to the injured.