TEHRAN, July 30 (Shana) – Deputy Minister of Petroleum and Managing Director of National Iranian Petrochemical Company Marzieh Shahdaie said on Friday that no problem with production in Bistoon Petrochemical Complex and other sections of the facility have not been damaged.

Talking to Shana after successful containing of fire in the storage tank of the Bistoon Petrochemical Company on Friday July 29, Shahdaie said the main sections of the facility are not in service now and half of it are getting fundamentally overhauled.

On production in the facility, she said once the facility undergoes fundamental overhaul, the units will resume activity.
“No problem with the storage tank of the Complex which caught fire because there a storage tank similar to it at the facility,” she added.

Managing Director of National Petrochemical Company (NPC) Marzieh Shahdaie said on Friday that cause of fire in the storage tank of Bistoon Petrochemical Company will be made clear and brought to the public information.

Shahdaie told Shana that now that fire has been put off, the cause of it should be found out in presence of experts and HSE officials, then announcing it to the public through media.

She said thanks to support and assistance of regional petrochemical offices, refineries and other industries in Kermanshah Province the fire was curbed.

“Now the fire is extinguished and no danger threatens the region; however, through on-call forces, the region is controlled so that upon eruption of likely incident it will be contained; but now it can be said for sure that fire has been extinguished and contained,” she added.
Deputy Governor of Kermanshah Province Reza Rahimi said on Friday that fire in Bistoon Petrochemical Company's storage tank was fully contained.

Rahimi told Shana, "Now it can be said for sure that fire in Bistoon Petchem Facility is fully curbed. Operations to spray foam and keep neighboring tanks cool will continue for next hour."
He said the relief workers and fire fighters are in the area for the purpose.

Managing Director of Fire Fighting Organization in Kermanshah Province Hojjatollah Jahanbakhshi said on Friday that fire in the Company's storage tank was contained for second time.
Jahanbakhshi said now, cooling down and foam spraying operations are underway to fully bring the fire under control.

Based on related reports, the Crisis Council convened in western province of Kermanshah on Friday, presided over by Deputy Minister of Petroleum Marzieh Shahdaie.

Shahdaie on Friday headed to the site of the incident to obtain firsthand account of the fire.

Director of the Production Control Department at National Petrochemical Company (NPC) Bosaqzadeh had told Shana that thanks to efforts of all organs and firefighters the fire was put off.

Director General of the Crisis Management Headquarters in Kermanshah Province Mahmoudian had said on Friday that four provinces in vicinity of Kermanshah Province have been dispatched to the area where fire in Bistoon Petrochemical Company broke out.

Mahmoudian told TV that the provinces are heading towards the site on order of the governor general of Kermanshah Province.

He said all firefighters and officials are at work with full facilities to contain the fire.
Asked when the fire will be checked, the official said, "It cannot be said for sure now but the incident is now controlled by firefighters and it is hopped to be over in next four hours."

On cause of the incident, he said it is under scrutiny and the public will be soon informed of the result.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic Red Crescent Society (RCS) helicopter has been dispatched to the site of fire in storage tank of Bistoon Petrochemical Company on Friday.

Deputy Head of the Islamic Republic Red Crescent Society's (RCS) Kermanshah Province for Relief and Rescue Affairs Jahangir Pour-Hassan said on Friday that five teams of the RCS forces along with other relief aid groups are now busy containing the fire.

"Fortunately, the incident has not yet had any toll and the relief aid workers are busy to check spread of fire to other storage tanks in Bistoon Petchem Facility," he said.

Senior petrochemical directors have got together in Kermanshah Province on Friday to probe into cause of Bistoon Petchem Co. storage tank fire and way to contain it.

The directors are from National Petrochemical Company (NPC) and petrochemical facilities in Kermanshah Province as well as members of the Crisis Headquarters to consider the inferno.

Foam spraying operations will begin in hours to contain fire in Bistoon Petrochemical Company's storage tank.

Fire broke out in the tank following electricity discrepancy on Friday.

Efforts are underway to put it off.

It is said to be contained Friday night.

Head of the Safety and Firefighting Department of National Petrochemical Company (NPC) Narimannejad said on Friday that fire in the facility will be put off completely thanks to timely and full presence of the relief and safety workers.

Narimannejad provided assurances that the fire will not pose any threat to other sections of the company.

He said the genuine cause of the incident will be known once careful expert investigations are complete.

He announced that foam spraying operations will start in hours and since the tank contains light crude and its volume is low, so the fire can be controlled technically.

Bistoon Petrochemical Company manufactures and markets chemicals and petrochemicals including linear alkyl benzene and heavy alkylate. The company also constructs and operates plants for production of petrochemicals. It lies on Karbala Highway and in vicinity of Kagieh village and 15kms east of Kermanshah.

Governor of Kermanshah Province Fazlollah Ranjbar said on Friday that relief workers are in efforts to prevent spread of fire in one of the storage tanks of Bistoon Petrochemical Company of Kermanshah to other storage tanks of the facility.

Ranjbar said presently, all the relief workers, consisting firefighters, the Islamic Republic Red Crescent Society, and the relief workers of the petrochemical facility of Bistoon, are at the area to contain the fire.

He said technical cause of the incident is under investigation and it will soon be publicized by officials of Bistoon Petchem Co.

Meanwhile, Deputy Head of the Islamic Republic Red Crescent Society (RCS) for Relief and Rescue Affairs Jahangir Pour-Hassan told IRNA that now, 50 of the RCS relief workers are involved in fire extinguishing operations.

Pour-Hassan said a RCS helicopter is prepared for rescue operations and it will be used if necessary.

Deputy Minister of Petroleum for Petrochemical Affairs Marzieh Shahdaie left Tehran for Kermanshah on Friday on reports of fire in Bistoon Petrochemical Company's storage tank.

Efforts were underway to contain the fire.

Director of the Production Control Department at National Petrochemical Company (NPC), Ali-Mohammad Bosaqzadeh, said on Friday that nothing threatens Bistoon Petrochemical Company as a result of fire.

Bosqazadeh briefed Shana on details of the inferno and said it has left no serious damage or death toll.
He said the fire is now fully controlled.

He added that fire in the Light End storage tank of the facility had been caused due to fire discrepancy but thanks to the timely efforts of forces in the area, it is getting controlled and contained.

He noted that repair operations on the storage tank had ended just one week ago and now for more safety, other storage tanks in the periphery, being on fire, are getting cooled down.

He provided assurances that the fire will not cause any danger.

The official said static electricity in the storage tank had been possibly the cause of fire.

"The firefighting squad of Kermanshah Petrochemical Facility, Kermanshah Polymer Facility, Kermanshah Refinery and other regional forces have been dispatched to the HSE Unit of Bistoon Petrochemical Company to provide any kind of help and assistance."

Governor of Kermanshah Province Fazlollah Ranjbar said on Friday that fault in the power transmission system had been the cause of inferno in Bistoon Petrochemical Company on Friday.

Ranjbar told Shana that early estimates show discrepancy in the power system of the unit had resulted in fire in one of the storage tanks in the facility.

He said the Islamic Republic Red Crescent Society personnel, firefighters and fire extinguishing staff of Bistoon thermal power plant are now busy trying to contain the fire.

He hoped that the fire will be totally extinguished shortly through assistance of the staff of the Bistoon petchem company.

The governor said the fire occurred in a storage tank of basic materials of the company.
Bistoon Petrochemical Company lies on Karbala Highway and in vicinity of Kagieh village and 15kms east of Kermanshah.

By SHANA