Bitumen plant fire extinguished

Cold temperatures and long distance to the water supply complicated firefighting efforts

December 22, 2012 08:02 AM

ITAR-TASS

TYUMEN, Russia — The fire at a bitumen plant in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area is extinguished.

According to the preliminary information reported by the press service of the Russian Emergencies Ministry’s regional department, a tank vehicle and a 100-cubic/m paraffin tank caught fire when paraffin was pumped. Liquid paraffin spilt over 500 sq m.

The firefighting operation was complicated by the low temperature (it was 30 degrees below zero in Nizhnevartovsk on Saturday) and the long distance to water supply sources.

The fire alarm signal was received by a duty operator in Nizhnevartovsk at 11:38 local time (09:38 Moscow time), the press service said.

The plant, which belongs to the Siburgazmontazh company, is located at the 13rd km of the Nizhnevartovsk-Megion road.

A liquid-paraffin-carrying vehicle was afire when firefighters from Nizhnevartovsk arrived at the site.

Nobody was hurt.

Forty seven firemen fought the blaze. Thirteen machines were used in the operation.

An investigation into the incident is underway.