Fire at Baiji refinery kills one, injures 13 in northern Iraq

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A fire triggered by the explosion of an air compressor at Iraq’s Baiji oil refinery in northern Salahaddin province killed one person and injured 13 others on Monday, local officials said.

“The fire broke out in the gasoline-enhancing unit at the [Salahaddin 2] refinery. According to preliminary information, one person lost their life and 13 other people were injured,” Firas Dawood, Salahaddin police media director, told Rudaw.

Yassin al-Dawoodi, a member of the Salahaddin provincial council, said the incident was caused by “the explosion of an air compressor” inside the unit. He added that all those injured are refinery employees and were transferred to a local hospital for treatment.

Raed al-Jabouri, director of the Salahaddin health directorate, told Rudaw that all rapid response teams and health personnel have been placed on standby.

Baiji refinery, north of Salahaddin province, is one of the largest refineries in Iraq. Several new units have been added in recent years to boost fuel production.

In May, three people were injured in a separate explosion at the facility.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani reopened the Baiji refinery in February 2024, nearly a decade after it was captured by the Islamic State (ISIS) during the group’s 2014 offensive across large parts of northern Iraq.

In August 2023, Sudani launched the refinery’s isomerization unit, which enhances fuel quality by increasing octane levels.

The Baiji district, about 200 kilometers north of Baghdad, is a major industrial hub that hosts several refineries and key oil pipelines.


Nahro Mohammed contributed to this report from Erbil.