Governor says Tuapse oil refinery blaze fully put out

A fire that broke out at an oil refinery in Tuapse following a drone attack has been extinguished, regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev said.

“Thank you to everyone who took part in extinguishing the fire: it was extremely difficult work. I understand how much effort and labour it took to eliminate such a large-scale blaze — often at risk to life,” Kondratyev said.

He added: “Now we will do everything to restore the city as quickly as possible.”

The blaze was the third fire at the Tuapse refinery in two weeks. It began on the night of April 28 as a result of a drone attack and was localised by the morning of April 29.

As a result of a spill of petroleum products, pollutants entered the soil and nearby water bodies. Air quality measurements taken on April 28 showed a slight превышение of permissible benzene concentration levels.

The Russian consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor advised residents of Tuapse to stay indoors, keep windows closed, and use masks and respirators.

By Tamilla Hasanova