Parliament Probe Dismisses Sabotage in Refinery Blast

TEHRAN (FNA)- A comprehensive probe launched into the last Tuesday blast at Abadan refinery dismissed the possibility of sabotage as the cause of the explosion.
Rapporteur of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Kazzem Jalali said the probe into the incident suggests the blast involved no act of sabotage.

He added that further investigation was underway to find out about any possible dereliction of duty.

At least two people were killed and 12 others were injured in the blast.

Firefighters immediately brought the fire under control.

A number of the refinery employees suffered gas intoxication after toxic fumes and thick clouds of smoke cast a shadow over the refinery.

A gas leakage in one of the refinery units has been blamed as the cause of the explosion and ensuing fire.

The Abadan refinery development plan is aimed at producing premium 94 octane gasoline.

The gasoline production unit of Abadan refinery was completed at the cost of $1 billion to add over one million barrels to the country's daily gasoline production capacity.

Iran also opened the Middle East's largest oil refinery, Shazand, in the central Iranian city of Arak earlier this year.