Nearly 30 injured as massive fire engulfs fuel depot in Iraq's Sulaimaniyah
A major blaze at a fuel storage facility in Iraq's Kurdistan Region destroyed 38 tankers and consumed over 3 million litres of fuel, leaving almost 30 people with burn injuries after more than four hours of firefighting efforts.
Nearly 30 injured as massive fire engulfs fuel depot in Iraq's Sulaimaniyah
At least 30 people sustained burn injuries when a catastrophic fire ripped through a fuel depot and bitumen factory in Iraq's Sulaimaniyah province early Tuesday morning, destroying dozens of fuel tankers and triggering explosions visible across the region.
Civil defence teams brought the inferno at the Tangro industrial area facility under control after battling flames for four hours and 20 minutes. The fire destroyed 34 gasoline tankers and four diesel tankers, consuming more than 3 million litres of fuel in the process.
Explosions light up night sky
The blaze erupted shortly before midnight at the warehouse in Tanjaro, one of Sulaimaniyah province's main fuel supply sites and a major distribution hub for the city and surrounding areas. Tanks containing petrol, diesel and bitumen ignited in succession, triggering powerful explosions that lit up the night sky across much of the province. The flames were visible from as far as 60 kilometres away.
Casualties and medical response
Most of the injured were workers and personnel at the site. Sulaimaniyah's director-general of health initially reported at least 20 casualties, though the total number later climbed to nearly 30. Many received treatment at the scene for minor burns, while those with more serious injuries were transported to hospital. All but one of the hospitalized victims have since been discharged. An Iranian worker remained under medical care due to the severity of his burns.
Civil defence teams from Sulaimaniyah led the firefighting operation, while their counterparts in Erbil were placed on standby to provide assistance if called upon. The coordinated regional response underscored the seriousness with which authorities treated the emergency.
Fuel supply remains stable
Despite the scale of destruction, fuel market officials sought to reassure the public about supply stability. Ramyar Rizgar, spokesperson for the Sulaimaniyah fuel market, and Sheikh Abdullah, owner of the warehouse, stated they do not expect the fire to push up petrol prices in the region.
Sulaimaniyah, the second-largest city in Iraq's Kurdistan Region after Erbil, is home to approximately 1.5 million people. Located in northeastern Iraq near the Iranian border, the city is recognized as a center of Kurdish culture and nationalism.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities are expected to examine whether the blaze resulted from an accident, technical failure or another cause. Iraq's fuel and oil infrastructure has experienced several major fire incidents in recent years, highlighting ongoing safety challenges at such facilities.
