An explosion took place earlier Tuesday, December 17, in a petrochemical factory adjacent to an oil refinery complex in Israel’s northern port city of Haifa. It is yet uncertain whether the blast that set off a large fire originated in a fuel tanker or in a fertilizer warehouse. Firefighters have brought the blaze under control and no casualties were reported.
Israeli security forces are on high alert against the possibility of a mega-attack, targeting the country’s energy infrastructure. Earlier this year, a bomb attached to a diesel fuel truck was detonated in Pi Glilot, Israel’s largest fuel depot near Tel Aviv. The fire was quickly put out causing no casualties.
Israeli police investigating the fire’s cause said there was no immediate evidence of a deliberate attack. Israeli media reported the blast was likely the result of a technical fault.
Haifa Chemicals is the world's largest supplier of potassium nitrate, an essential fertilizer for modern intensive agriculture. The company converts locally produced potash and phosphate rock into potassium nitrate, phosphoric acid and phosphate salts for use in agriculture, industry, and food production. Established in 1966, Haifa Chemicals is wholly owned by US-based Trans Resources Inc. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
