Photo taken on Jan. 12, 2019 shows heavy smoke from a state-owned oil refinery in Aden, Yemen. A new powerful explosion hit the the state-owned oil refinery in Aden on Saturday evening, injuring at least 15 people, a security official told Xinhua. (Xinhua/Murad Abdo)
ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- A new powerful explosion hit the the state-owned oil refinery in Yemen's southern port city of Aden on Saturday evening, injuring at least 15 people, a security official told Xinhua.
"Fire that erupted one day ago extended to a new oil tanker and caused a huge explosion that injured more than 15 workers and firefighters inside the oil refinery," the security source said on condition of anonymity.
Ambulances rushed to the site where firefighters are trying to extinguish the blaze after the explosion occurred at around 5:40 p.m. local time (1440 GMT).
"There was a strong explosion and the detonation could be heard across the district of Buraigah in Aden with huge columns of smoke billowing from the complex," a witness told Xinhua.
On Friday evening, a huge fire erupted just minutes after an explosion that targeted one of the refinery's oil tanks.
Civil defense forces failed to contain the fire, causing the new explosion and leaving injuries, according to local sources.
Considered Yemen's temporary capital city, Aden is where the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has based itself since 2015.
The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since late 2014, when Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa.
