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Five injured in French refinery blast

25 October 2016

French oil and gas company Total said on October 24 that a gas leak at its Gonfreville refinery in northern France had caused an explosion that injured five workers. The blast occurred during scheduled maintenance work on a gas compressor and emergency services were subsequently able to contain the gas leak and fire.

The refinery, situated in an industrial area adjacent to the city of Le Havre, has a capacity of 247,000 barrels per day.

Total said four were lightly injured and sent home, but the fifth was hospitalised. A trade union spokesman told Le Monde that the latter’s condition was serious.

Four of the casualties worked for a Total subcontractor called Ponticelli, the union spokesman said.


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