According to Reuters report on August 13th, an explosion occurred at a petroleum storage facility in the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, resulting in one death and six injuries. Preliminary investigations indicate that the accident was caused by maintenance work.
The explosion occurred on the morning of the 13th local time. A spokesperson for Gongwoer Petroleum Trading Company stated that an “incident” happened during maintenance work on a storage tank at the Rotterdam port. A Dutch police spokesman said that no signs of sabotage have been found, and all possible investigation directions are ongoing.
The traces left after an explosion in the oil storage area of the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands. IC photo
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe and a crucial hub for the import and storage of crude oil and fuels in the region. Shell operates the largest refinery in Europe, the Pernis Refinery, located in the Port of Rotterdam. Energy giants such as British Petroleum, ExxonMobil, and Vitol also operate refineries here.
Before the explosion, there were several power outages at the Port of Rotterdam. However, both the Port of Rotterdam and Dutch security agencies stated that the power outages had nothing to do with the explosion.
