Oil Refinery In Southern Russia Ablaze: Officials

On Wednesday, Jan 24 a significant fire erupted at a major oil refinery located in the southern Russian town of Tuapse. According to statements from officials quoted by Russian news agencies, emergency teams are currently engaged in efforts to control and extinguish the blaze.

"According to emergency services of Tuapse district, a fire broke out on the territory of the oil refinery in the town," told the region emergencies service to the local news outlets.

"The fire is being brought under control. According to initial information, there are no casualties," they added.

Officials at the prominent airport in the coastal town of Sochi, approximately 100 km (60 miles) southeast of the incident, told the local news outlets that both arrivals and departures have been suspended. Crews and dispatchers are diligently implementing precautionary measures to safeguard flight operations in the vicinity and ensure overall aviation safety.

Sergei Boiko, the Tuapse district head, communicated through Telegram that the fire had originated in the vacuum unit of the refinery, a secondary processing section. He noted that ongoing efforts to suppress the fire were in progress.