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Monday, August 4, 2014
The fire that has engulfed the fuel tanks near Libya’s Tripoli airport is spreading and according to officials there is a risk of a humanitarian and environmental disaster. One fuel tank caught fire during a battle between rival militias near the airport. The fire rapidly spread to seven other tanks, increasing the risk of an explosion at the site.
The fuel tanks at Tripoli’s main fuel depot were hit by a rocket; firefighters deployed to tackle the fire were unable to put the fire out due to the fighting between the militias. The government called on the international community for help in putting out the blaze after its own firefighters were forced to abandon efforts to put it out.
“Since the morning firefighters from Brega Petroleum Marketing Co. have been trying to enter the depot to control the fire and stop it from spreading to the rest of the tanks but unfortunately due to the random shooting they cannot get to the storage facility,” the Ministry of Oil said in a statement.
The fire “could lead to a humanitarian and environmental disaster and trigger an explosion in the gas tanks,” the Ministry said, calling on the Ministry of Health to be prepared in case of casualties.
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