Thirty-five individuals were injured, four of them severely, following an explosion at a gas depot near Tunisia’s capital on Thursday, according to civil protection services.
The incident, which occurred around 6:15 am, was triggered by a gas leak leading to the explosion of gas cylinders within the premises of a distribution company in the Rades oil field, southeast of Tunis, stated civil protection spokesperson Moez Triaa to media.
All victims, sustaining first and second-degree burns, were promptly hospitalized, with four individuals requiring intensive care, Triaa added.
The energy ministry, in a subsequent statement, confirmed that the fire at a gas depot belonging to the Agil energy company in Rades had been successfully contained.
An investigation has been initiated to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident, with the extent of the damage yet to be specified, the statement concluded.
Agil, the largest fuel distribution company in Tunisia, operates a network of over 250 petrol stations across the North African nation.
