A 26-year-old Statoil employee died in the National Hospital in Copenhagen today, 20 August, as a result of injuries received in a fire at Statoil’s Kalundborg refinery in Denmark.
"This tragic incident deeply affects all of us here," says John Berg, head of the Kalundborg refinery. "Our sincere sympathy goes to the victim's next of kin."
No conclusions have been drawn as to the cause of the accident. An internal investigation is underway and a report from the Danish authorities is also expected, Mr Berg reports.
The fire started at around 20.30 on 19 August in the plant’s visbreaker, which separates heavy oil from the lighter fractions. The deceased was working in that area at the time.
Both the refinery’s own fire-fighters and the local fire brigade in Kalundborg were mobilised, and quickly brought the flames under control.
The part of the refinery in which the fire broke out has been completely shut down in order to empty it of oil.