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Fire at Venezuela Amuay refinery spreads Fire at Venezuela's Amuay refinery battled
(about 9 hours later)
Venezuelan Vice-President Elias Jaua says a fire at the country's biggest oil refinery has spread. The Venezuelan president has said that firefighters have extinguished the blaze at one of three burning oil tanks in the country's biggest refinery.
He said a third tank was ablaze following Saturday's explosion, which is now known to have killed 48 people. Hugo Chavez said the intensity of the blaze at one of the other tanks at the Amuay refinery had been reduced by 75%.
The opposition candidate in the forthcoming presidential election, Henrique Capriles, said government inefficiency under President Hugo Chavez was to blame. The tanks have been burning since an explosion at the refinery on Saturday which killed 48 people, injured dozens more and damaged 200 nearby homes.
The president has ordered an urgent investigation into the blast. It was among the most deadly oil industry accidents in recent years.
"When things aren't done properly, with responsibility, then you have to prepare for the consequences," Mr Capriles said. "Latest news... at this moment the fire at tank 200 in Amuay is extinguished," Mr Chavez said in a series of tweets.
'Under control' "We continue battling with our heroic firefighters from [state oil company] PDVSA," he said, adding that he was talking by telephone with Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez, who was at the scene.
Mr Capriles and other critics of Mr Chavez' government have said under-investment by state oil company PDVSA has led to a decline in production and safety standards. "With God's help, we will succeed!"
But Mr Chavez said there was no evidence the blast was the result of poor maintenance. 'Consequences'
He said firefighters had the blaze under control, despite its spread to a third tank. On Monday, Mr Ramirez predicted that the 645,000 barrel-per-day facility would begin operations again on Friday, and that the fires would be put out within two days.
Stella Lugo, the governor of Falcon state, where the refinery is located, said on Monday that the number of confirmed dead had risen from 41 to 48. The country's opposition candidate in the forthcoming presidential election, Henrique Capriles, said government inefficiency under Mr Chavez was to blame for the accident.
She said about half of those who had died were members of the National Guard who had been protecting the refinery. "When things aren't done properly, with responsibility, then you have to prepare for the consequences," he said.
Ms Lugo said 31 people remained in hospital.
Government officials said the blast occurred at 01:15 local time on Saturday when a gas leak created a cloud that ignited.
More than 200 homes and 11 businesses were damaged.
Venezuela has the world's biggest certified oil reserves.Venezuela has the world's biggest certified oil reserves.
Mr Capriles and other critics of Mr Chavez's government have said under investment by the state oil company has led to a decline in production and safety standards.
But Mr Chavez said there was no evidence the blast was the result of poor maintenance. Investigators have yet to determine the precise causes but government officials have said the blast occurred after a gas leak created a cloud that ignited.
Half of those who had died in the incident were members of the National Guard who had been protecting the refinery.
On Monday, Mr Chavez said he was creating a $23m (£14.5m; 18.4m euros) fund to help cover the costs of clean-up operations and replace damaged homes. A total of 31 people remain in hospital.