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Sunday, November 15, 2026Nov 15

Oil refinery in Italy erupts in flames, no injuries reported

Flames and smoke billow following a blast in a refinery in Sannazzaro de Burgondi, near Pavia, northern Italy, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016. Italian oil company Eni says a fire erupted in a refinery in Pavia province south of Milan, and that the flames were being extinguished. There were no immediate reports of injuries. (Dino Ferretti/ANSA via AP)
Flames and smoke billow following a blast in a refinery in Sannazzaro de Burgondi, near Pavia, northern Italy, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016. Italian oil company Eni says a fire erupted in a refinery in Pavia province south of Milan, and that the flames were being extinguished. There were no immediate reports of injuries. (Dino Ferretti/ANSA via AP)

MILAN (AP) – Fire broke out Thursday in an Eni oil company refinery in Pavia province south of Milan, sending plumes of smoke into the air. There were no injuries and the flames were being extinguished, the Italian oil company said.

Eni said there was no explosion when fire broke out around 4 p.m. (1500 GMT) Thursday at the Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi refinery, one of the biggest in Italy. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The news agency ANSA reported that a cloud of black smoke was visible for 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the site of the blast in northern Italy.

Ambulances were in place to respond to any health repercussions for nearby residents. Eni said it was monitoring air quality around the refinery and would turn the data over to authorities.