Kathmandu— A large fire erupted at a fuel storage depot near the city of Sulaimaniyah in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq on Monday, injuring at least 20 people and destroying numerous fuel tankers. The blaze broke out just before midnight at a warehouse in the Tanjaro area, a key fuel supply site for the province, prompting a rapid response from emergency crews and security forces. While the fire has since been brought under control, authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage and investigating its cause.

Fire Breaks Out, Injuries Reported

Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed flames and thick smoke billowing over Sulaimaniyah as the fire intensified. Hersh Saeed Saleem, the deputy director general of Sulaimaniyah, stated that while no fatalities occurred, approximately 20 individuals sustained minor injuries. Shafaq News reported two burn cases, one requiring hospitalization.

Extent of Damage

According to Shafaq News, citing a local source, the fire resulted in the destruction of 34 petrol tankers and four gas-oil tankers, consuming over 3 million litres of fuel. Emergency crews worked through the night to contain the blaze, with several explosions reported as flames spread throughout the facility.

Response and Price Stability

Civil defence teams from Sulaimaniyah led the firefighting efforts, supported by standby assistance offered by their counterparts in Erbil. Despite the significant damage, Ramyar Rizgar, spokesperson for the Sulaimaniyah fuel market, and Sheikh Abdullah, owner of the warehouse, expressed confidence that the incident would not lead to an increase in petrol prices within the region.

Authorities are continuing to assess the full extent of the damage caused by the fire and have yet to release a comprehensive report on its impact.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.