Fire broke out today at Larger oil refinery of the equatoriallocated in the coastal province Petroecuador to suspend her work.

“We have a fuel fuel tank that caught fire. The situation is under control, “Esie Massano’s Minister of Energy announced to her account in X.

Huge column of tobacco and flames were visible this morning around the refinery.

Petroecuador state company said the fire, the causes of which remain unknown, did not cause injuries.

The refinery “stopped its work to protect the safety of facilities and staff,” the state -owned oil company said in a statement.

This refinery, with the possibility of processing 110,000 argon barrels daily, It is the largest among the three refineries in this country of South America, largely dependent on oil exports.

Soldiers and employees of the refinery, located in Esmeralda, the capital of the homonymous province, had blocked access to secure a security perimeter and allow emergency vehicles to cross, according to a French agency reporter.

The Risk Management Secretariat said in a post on the X platform that the refinery workers were removed from the area.

“As soon as the incident is under control, the necessary inspections will be carried out to determine the infrastructure condition and investigation into the causes,” Petroecuador said.

Ecuador is one of South America’s largest oil producers, with about 475,000 barrels of oil a day. It is one of its main export products, generating revenue of $ 8.6 billion in 2024.