Big Blast at Algeria's Key Refinery, 13 Killed

20/01/2004| IslamWeb

An explosion at a natural gas plant in Algeria has killed at least 13 people and injured 74 others. The blast took place at a state-owned liquefied natural gas complex in the industrial zone of the north-eastern coastal town of Skikda. The blast, which happened at 1840 (1740 GMT), on Monday is thought to have been an accident, officials said. Algeria is a major oil and gas producer and has one of the world's largest natural gas reserves. **Powerful Explosion*** Those injured in the explosion were taken to a hospital at Annaba, 600 kilometres (400 miles) east of Algiers, as well as the Ain Nadja military hospital specialising in burns, in the suburbs of Algiers. Algeria's Minister of Energy and Mines, Chakib Khelil, arrived on the scene within hours of the blast. He told Algerian state radio that three liquefaction units had been destroyed in the explosion. "We will undoubtedly have to rebuild everything," he added. One witness told Reuters the explosion was felt miles away. "Everyone in the building rushed out, all windows were blown out," another witness, who lived near to the refinery, told state radio. The plant was used to liquefy Algerian gas from the Sahara for export to Europe.