Fire at oxidized asphalt tank in Kirkuk extinguished, seven nearby tanks saved

KIRKUK, Iraq — Civil defense teams in Kirkuk extinguished a fire that broke out in an oxidized asphalt tank at a private factory and prevented it from spreading to surrounding storage, the local Civil Defense Directorate said on Tuesday. The fire started in a 35,000-liter tank at the Nawarith al-Dhahabi private factory in the Dariman area, according to the directorate. No casualties or injuries were reported, and material damage was limited, the statement said. Crews rescued seven adjacent tanks, and the flames were contained before they could reach the wider factory compound. A field inspection, together with security camera footage and the factory's technical report, concluded that the fire was caused by backflow. Cold asphalt product had been added to a tank that previously held high-temperature asphalt, triggering a thermal reaction that burst the tank's lid and released the flames. The Civil Defense Directorate said rapid response and standard procedures kept the fire from reaching other tanks in the area.