Massive Fire Erupts at Abadan Oil Refinery, Iran’s Largest, Raising Public Health and Safety Concerns
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Iran News: Massive Fire Erupts at Abadan Oil Refinery, Raising Public Health and Safety Concerns
On July 19, a massive fire broke out at the Abadan Oil Refining Company, the largest and oldest refinery in Iran and the Middle East. The blaze has raised alarm among residents and once again exposed the fragility of Iran’s aging energy infrastructure. The visible environmental fallout, with widespread air pollution engulfing the city, has triggered concerns about public health and safety. The fire adds to the mounting challenges faced by the Iranian regime, which is grappling with overlapping crises—economic stagnation, environmental degradation, and social unrest—amid its deteriorating governance capacity.
Abadan, Iran — On Saturday, July 19, a massive fire broke out at Unit 70 of the Abadan Oil Refining Company, the largest and oldest refinery in Iran and the Middle East. The blaze, which generated thick plumes of black smoke visible across wide areas of the city, has raised alarm among residents and once again exposed the fragility of Iran’s aging energy infrastructure.
State-run news agency IRNA confirmed the incident, stating that the fire originated from a pump leak. While officials have denied any signs of sabotage or human interference, independent reports and video evidence pinpoint the fire to the refinery’s southwestern sector, near Razi Street, an area known for its dense configuration of oil-processing units, tanks, and industrial chimneys.
According to the refinery’s public relations office, one worker lost his life during the incident. They also claimed that production remains “stable and uninterrupted” by utilizing spare capacity in other units, although no details have been released about the full extent of the damage or operational impact.
“The National Council of Resistance of #Iran (NCRI) has accused the regime in Tehran of lying about the true death toll from the massive explosions at the port of #BandarAbbas on Saturday,” writes @BreitbartNews https://t.co/yPLEPHBvTo — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) May 1, 2025
Footage shared by local residents shows six and fourteen red-and-white smokestacks near the fire site. Satellite imagery cross-referenced with these videos confirms that the fire occurred close to critical refining infrastructure, including distillation towers and oil product transfer pumps.
Despite these reassurances, the fire has heightened fears of systemic neglect. Abadan’s refinery, originally constructed in 1912, plays a central role in Iran’s oil production and economy. The visible environmental fallout, with widespread air pollution engulfing the city, has triggered concerns about public health and safety.
So far, regime authorities have not provided transparent information about the severity of the damage or any contingency plans. Critics point to this incident as another sign of the Iranian regime’s ongoing mismanagement of vital national assets, particularly in the oil sector, which continues to suffer from years of underinvestment, international sanctions, and institutional negligence.
The fire adds to the mounting challenges faced by the Iranian regime, which is grappling with overlapping crises—economic stagnation, environmental degradation, and social unrest—amid its deteriorating governance capacity.
As Abadan residents cope with the immediate aftermath, the lack of accountability and preparedness shown by the regime highlights a broader pattern of state failure in protecting both lives and infrastructure.