Firefighters contain blaze at Hungary's main oil refinery

Firefighters in Hungary have contained a fire at the country's main oil refinery, according to authorities and the energy company MOL

Firefighters in Hungary have contained a blaze that broke out overnight at the country’s main oil refinery, authorities and Hungarian energy company MOL said Tuesday. No injuries have been reported.

The fire erupted Monday night in a processing unit of the Danube Refinery in Százhalombatta, south of the capital Budapest, MOL said in a statement posted to the Budapest Stock Exchange website Tuesday. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

MOL said emergency protocols were followed and units not affected by the blaze were being gradually restarted as damage assessments continued. The company added that it would focus on ensuring domestic fuel supplies and was considering whether to draw on Hungary’s strategic reserves.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Tuesday that he had spoken with MOL executives and the interior minister about the fire. “Hungary’s fuel supply is secure,” Orbán wrote on social media, adding that the circumstances surrounding the blaze were being investigated “as thoroughly as possible.”

Authorities said air quality around the refinery was being continuously monitored and no readings above health limits had been detected.

According to Hungary’s disaster management authority, the facility’s own fire brigade was first on the scene, supported by professional firefighters from nearby cities.

Eyewitnesses told the state news agency MTI that flames and smoke were visible from several kilometers away.