Major fire at unauthorised oil refinery in Iraqi Kurdistan leaves 14 injured, furthers air pollution crisis

A massive fire at an oil refinery near Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, injured at least 14 people and caused millions of dollars in damage before being brought under control, officials said Thursday. The blaze, which started late Wednesday, also severely polluted the air.

The fire ignited in a large crude oil tank on Wednesday night before spreading to a second refinery along the Gwer-Erbil highway southwest of the city. "The fire has been put out," said Shakhawan Saed, spokesperson for the Erbil Civil Defence Directorate, in a phone interview with The New Arab.

"Fourteen firefighters were injured, including 10 cases of suffocation and four burns, two of which are in critical condition. Four firefighting trucks were also burned," he added. 

The cause of the fire remains unknown. The firefighting efforts lasted more than 16 hours and involved over 40 teams. Thick plumes of black smoke and bright orange flames rose above the facility, exacerbating Erbil's already serious air pollution.

The burning refinery, which is located on a road lined with several other refineries, is unlicensed, according to a statement from Erbil's Environment Office. The office accused the refinery owner of not taking adequate safety precautions. The damage is estimated at over US$5 million.

According to former Kurdish lawmakers, there are nearly 200 unlicensed refineries and fuel storage facilities across the Iraqi Kurdistan region. These refineries produce car fuel using unregulated methods, contributing to rising cancer rates in the area. Most of these facilities are reportedly owned by conglomerates and officials linked to the ruling parties.

Amid Iraq's scorching summer temperatures, multiple fires have broken out in recent weeks in Erbil and across the country, affecting shopping centres, warehouses, and hospitals. 

Iraq is one of the world's top oil producers, with crude oil sales comprising 90% of its budget revenues. However, exports from the Kurdistan region have been halted for over a year due to legal and technical disputes. Most of the oil produced in the region is smuggled by trucks into Turkey and Iraq.