Shutterstock [for illustration]
A blast at a storage facility for petroleum products at the Netherlands’ Rotterdam port killed one person and wounded several others on Thursday, officials said, adding that the cause was unknown.
A spokesperson for major energy commodities trading company Gunvor said an ‘incident’ occurred during maintenance work on a storage tank.
A police spokesperson said that there was no immediate sign of sabotage and that all possible scenarios were under investigation.
Rotterdam is Europe’s largest port and comprises oil refineries, liquefied natural gas terminals and multiple petrochemical facilities.
Shell, Exxon Mobil, BP and Gunvor Energy are among the energy majors operating at the port.
The explosion occurred at around 11:30 a.m. (0930 GMT).
Gunvor said it was cooperating with local authorities, while Shell said its operations at the port were unaffected by the blast.
A Rotterdam Port spokesperson said LNG terminals were not affected.
Local media reported that there had been several power outages at Rotterdam port earlier on Thursday.
Rotterdam Port said there was no connection between the blast and the power outage.
More from International
Colombian President vows reconstruction fund as quake death toll hits 265
Colombia’s President Abelardo De La Espriella has vowed on Wednesday to set up an emergency fund to help rebuild hospitals, schools, homes, and infrastructure destroyed by Monday’s earthquake, which killed 265 and left nearly 500 people unaccounted for.
Trump says press secretary Leavitt to leave job at month’s end
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her role at the end of the month, US President Donald Trump has announced on Wednesday, leaving the president without one of his most trusted advisers ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Air India expands drug testing to all pilots after captain tests positive
Air India will begin mandatory substance testing for all pilots on Thursday, expanding checks beyond regulatory requirements days after a pilot involved in a serious mid-air incident tested positive for psychoactive substances, according to an internal memo.
Russia’s Putin visits Japan-claimed islands for first time; Tokyo protests
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup, a Japan-claimed island at the end of the Kuril chain near the island of Hokkaido, Russian media said on Thursday, a day after major naval drills and a missile firing by ally North Korea.
Meta takes down 756,000 Australian teen accounts as ban enforcement looms
Facebook and Instagram owner Meta has announced on Thursday it had taken down more than 750,000 accounts it suspected were held by Australians aged under 16 since a world-first ban on teen accounts, and promised more action.