Iran oil refinery blast kills one, injures others

A blast at an oil refinery in Iran has killed one person and injured several others.

The incident at Abadan oil refinery occurred during a visit by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and although the leader was unharmed, reports indicate that 15 people were wounded and one killed.

President Ahmadinejad was there to mark the opening of the new oil refinery and made a televised speech shortly after the blast, however, officials claim it was not an act of intentional sabotage.

Hamid-Reza Katouzian, head of Iran's parliamentary energy committee said: "Experts had forewarned that Abadan refinery was not ready to be inaugurated."

He added that "the incident in Abadan refinery was due to technical problems".

The blast caused a fire which was immediately controlled and reports claim that some of the injured people were treated for inhaling the heavy smoke that filled the refinery.

President Ahmadinejad was at the refinery to launch a unit that will increase the nation's petrol production capacity by an extra 4.2 million litres a day, a figure the blast is unlikely to affect.