A fire at Iran’s Abadan oil refinery killed one worker on Saturday, but was quickly contained, Iran’s oil ministry news agency SHANA said, according to Reuters.
The incident took place in Unit 70 of the refinery, one of the oldest in Iran. SHANA said, “According to initial technical probes, the cause of the fire was a leak in one of the pumps, and no evidence of sabotage or human intervention has been observed so far.”
Iranian state media on Saturday released videos showing thick smoke rising from the Abadan oil refinery, after local reports said a fire had broken out at the site.
Officials said the blaze started in Unit 75 and that firefighting teams were working to bring it under control. pic.twitter.com/WmeYhmXE0u
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) July 19, 2025
Firefighters from Abadan and nearby areas responded to the blaze. State TV confirmed that the fire had been brought under control and said there was no impact on operations.
Videos shared by local news outlets showed flames and thick smoke rising from part of the refinery, located in Khuzestan Province in the southwest of the country, where temperatures are close to 50°C (122°F).
🚨Oil refining facilities in Shustar (Ahvaz Province, Southern Iran) have caught fire. There are dead and wounded on the scene, and regime channels are claiming that this was a technical fault. Israeli media says the circumstances are unclear but not thought to be a strike. pic.twitter.com/QrqhufEvIf
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) October 15, 2024
The Abadan facility is Iran’s oldest crude oil refinery. Like many of Iran’s oil and gas sites, it requires major repair and maintenance work.