An oil pipeline in the Khuzestan province of Iran exploded, injuring five, according to a 6 May statement by Iran state news agency IRNA. The governer of the province Gholamreza Shariati said that the blaze occured when the pipeline was under repair, when a loader crashed into the pipeline, spilling oil.
The 42-inch pipeline transports crude from Omidieh to Ahwaz. The valve of an adjacent, 12-inch pipeline was closed to prevent the fire from spreading, the statement from IRNA said, but it is necessary “to burn the oil and gas in the pipes completely, so that repairs can begin.”
Because of the proximity of the 12-inch pipeline to the explosion, it also “suffered an accident,” the statement wrote.
While five people suffered respiratory problems, no one was killed in the accident.
