Date: 29-Sep-11
Country: SINGAPORE
Author: Luke Pachymuthu

A fire continues to burn on Thursday at Royal Dutch Shell's largest refinery, its half a million barrels per day Singapore plant, but the blaze is under control, Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) said in a statement.

The fire hit the plant on an island off Singapore's shores on Wednesday, forcing Shell to close down a hydrocracking unit that helps make diesel fuel as a safety measure.

"Fire fighting operations are still underway at the affected area," the SCDF said in the statement. "There are currently about 100 SCDF fire fighters fighting the fire with 6 fire engines and 13 support vehicles. About 250 essential Shell personnel are also on Pulau Bukom."

Shell could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday. In a statement issued earlier, Shell said the fire had been contained and that it had accounted for all staff.

Crude processing units at the plant, which accounts for more than a third of the island nation's total refining capacity, were running at reduced capacity, Shell said on Wednesday.

Production units at the refinery near the blaze were shut as a precaution. In the process of the shutdown, Shell said that a larger flare would be visible. The flare was no cause for alarm, as no toxic vapours were being released, Shell said.

One Shell firefighter sustained a superficial injury, and five other firefighters had heat exhaustion and pulled muscle, the company said.

(Editing by Simon Webb)

© Thomson Reuters 2011 All rights reserved