17 workers hurt in Saudi Aramco oil facility blaze

A flame from a Saudi Aramco oil installion known as “Pump 3” is seen in the desert near the oil-rich area of Khouris, 160 kms east of the Saudi capital Riyadh, on June 23, 2008. Several workers were hurt when fire hit a Saudi Aramco crude oil facility near Riyadh on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, the company said. AFP FILE

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Several workers were hurt in a fire at a Saudi Aramco crude oil facility near Riyadh on Wednesday, without affecting operations, the Gulf oil giant said.

“Aramco regrets to report that several workers were injured as a result of a fire at a crude oil facility in Alwsea and all are being treated,” it said in a post on its Twitter account.

“The fire is under control. Company’s operations are not impacted,” it added.

Aramco did not immediately give an exact number of those hurt but Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh said 17 people were hospitalized, with three needing treatment in intensive care.

In September, a fire ripped through Aramco’s Gulf coast Ras Tanura oil terminal injuring eight workers.

The company is at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s wide-ranging Vision 2030 plan to wean the economy of the world’s biggest petroleum exporter off oil.

The kingdom plans to float five percent of Saudi Aramco on the stock market. The proceeds would help form what will become the world’s biggest state investment fund, with around $2 trillion in assets. CBB