Fatal Dawn Fire at Ras Tanura Leaves Saudi Aramco Output Unaffected

A fire at Ras Tanura, the world's largest refinery complex, killed one oil worker early Wednesday, a company spokesman confirmed. The facility, operated by state oil giant Saudi Aramco, sits on a peninsula along the Gulf coast in Saudi Arabia's eastern region.

The blaze ignited at dawn in a gathering centre within the sprawling complex. Emergency crews brought it under control in under an hour. Production was not affected: Ras Tanura processes five million barrels of crude oil per day.

A Saudi Aramco spokesman, who asked AFP not to identify him, confirmed both the fatality and the swift containment. He gave no information on what started the fire, and no cause had been established by the time the report was filed.

The complex employs hundreds of expatriate workers from various countries, including North Americans.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.