Venezuela refinery still ablaze as blast toll hits 41

A man walks past the still burning Amuay refinery after an explosion near Punto Fijo, Venezuela, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Venezuelans who live next to the country’s biggest oil refinery said they smelled a strong odor of sulfur hours before a gas leak ignited in an explosion on Saturday that killed at least 41 people and injured more than 80. AP photo/ariana cubillos

PUNTO FIJO, Venezuela—The devastating fire triggered by an explosion at Venezuela’s main oil refinery was still burning strong Sunday, as the toll jumped to 41 and the country was in national mourning.

Two people who suffered extensive burns and were among dozens of casualties from Saturday’s blast – likely caused by a gas leak – later died from their injuries.

Jesus Valdes of Coromoto Maracaibo Hospital said seven of 15 people admitted with serious injuries and still receiving care were in a “critical but stable condition.”

Venezuela is South America’s biggest oil producer and more than 30 hours after the worst accident ever for state oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), authorities were still struggling to extinguish flames in two of nine storage tanks that were set ablaze at the refinery.

At least 18 of those killed in the fire were National Guard soldiers and 15 were civilians, most of them relatives of the troops. Six more bodies were unidentified.

Vice President Elias Jaua said “erratic winds” had complicated the work of firefighters in trying to extinguish monster flames spilling out of the tanks that could be seen from kilometers away, but he insisted that the situation was “under control.”

President Hugo Chavez, who is in the midst of a reelection campaign ahead of October 7 elections has ordered an investigation into the cause of the incident and declared three days of national mourning.

The refinery is located in a residential and commercial complex where workers live with their relatives and poor families who settled in surrounding neighborhoods.

A total of 121 people, including 48 children were receiving medical and psychological care at a naval base, according to authorities who reported that 209 homes and 11 businesses had been impacted by the incident.

Some residents just outside the perimeter cordoned off by security forces gathered their belonging and prepared to leave their damaged homes, while others said they would remain on site.

“I have no fear,” said Ali Bello, 60, as he sat in front of his home whose roof was now awkwardly sloping downward. “They are saying it won’t explode again.”

Before the blast, the Amuay refinery, one of the biggest in the world, was able to process about 645,000 barrels of crude oil a day.

Venezuelan media have often reported complaints about safety and maintenance standards at the country’s refineries, but authorities insist there were no maintenance issues at Amuay.

The Latin American nation produces about three million barrels of oil per day, according to state figures, while the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries puts the number at 2.3 million barrels per day.

OPEC certified in 2011 that Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world at 296.5 billion barrels, surpassing Saudi Arabia, the country with the biggest refining capacity.

In March, Venezuelan authorities reported even higher reserves, of 297,570 billion.