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Fire at Venezuela's Amuay refinery battled Fires at Venezuela's Amuay refinery 'extinguished'
(about 5 hours later)
The Venezuelan president has said that firefighters have extinguished the blaze at one of three burning oil tanks in the country's biggest refinery. Firefighters have extinguished three oil tank blazes at Venezuela's biggest refinery, news reports say.
Hugo Chavez said the intensity of the blaze at one of the other tanks at the Amuay refinery had been reduced by 75%. The fires at the Amuay refinery began after an explosion there on Saturday which killed 48 people and injured dozens more.
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 blaze at the installation, which produces 645,000 barrels of oil per day, was among the most deadly oil industry accidents in recent years.
It was among the most deadly oil industry accidents in recent years. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has pledged a fund for clean-up operations.
"Latest news... at this moment the fire at tank 200 in Amuay is extinguished," Mr Chavez said in a series of tweets. The country has the world's biggest certified oil reserves.
"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. On Monday, Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez predicted that the facility would begin operations again on Friday.
"With God's help, we will succeed!"
'Consequences'
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.
The country's opposition candidate in the forthcoming presidential election, Henrique Capriles, said government inefficiency under Mr Chavez was to blame for the accident.The country's opposition candidate in the forthcoming presidential election, Henrique Capriles, said government inefficiency under Mr Chavez was to blame for the accident.
"When things aren't done properly, with responsibility, then you have to prepare for the consequences," he said."When things aren't done properly, with responsibility, then you have to prepare for the consequences," he said.
Venezuela has the world's biggest certified oil reserves. Mr Capriles and other critics of Mr Chavez's government have said that under-investment by the state oil company has led to a decline in production and safety standards.
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 that the blast was the result of poor maintenance.
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. 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. Half of those who had died in the incident were members of the National Guard who had been protecting the refinery. A total of 31 people remain in hospital.
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. 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 more than 200 homes nearby which have been damaged in the incident.