Puertollano, Spain, Aug 15: Three people were killed and seven seriously injured when an accidental explosion ripped through a Spanish petrochemicals complex, the oil company running the plant said.
The blast occurred yesterday at a refinery in a complex run by Repsol-YPF at Puertollano, a town of 50,000 inhabitants 230 kilometres south of Madrid.

Repsol-YPF yesterday gave the death toll as four, but said they were aware of the identity of just three.
But labour minister Eduardo Zaplana later confirmed the toll was three, the confusion arising over how many sub-contractors had been working at the plant at the time of the accident.
A local trade union spokesman had earlier voiced fears the death toll could rise amid reports one worker was still missing.



One of the injured was reported to have suffered 90 per cent burns.



Interior Minister Angel Acebes told reporters investigations showed the cause of the explosion to be an "internal fault," ruling out initial fears of a possible attack.



A company spokesman said a fire which had broken out after the explosion and reached seven fuel tanks containing 8,600 cubic meters of refined petrol was under control and did not pose a threat to the vicinity.



One employee died from severe burns after being transferred to the Santa Barbara Hospital in Puertollano, the hospital press service said.


Bureau Report