19 people are dead and at least another 53 are injured after an explosion at a Venezuela refinery. The facility caught fire after a gas cloud exploded, causing tanks and other refinery structures to burn. The fire is now under control, and officials say there is no risk of additional explosions. The cause is unknown and under investigation.
The explosion happened around 1am local time. Nearby houses were damaged in the blast, and a 10-year old boy is among the dead. The refinery is located in Amauy, a fishing village in the northwest part of the country.
The 645,000 barrel per day refinery is the largest in Venezuela, and one of the largest in the world. There is no word yet how the blast has affected operations. The blast is the latest in a serious of incidents befalling PDVSA, the state’s oil company.
