Fire reported at Venezuela's Cardon refinery brought under control

A fire broke out at Venezuela's Cardón refinery before being brought under control, according to local media reports, with no immediate reports of injuries connected to the incident.

The Cardón refinery is part of Venezuela's Paraguaná refining complex, one of the largest oil processing hubs in the country and a key component of the state oil company's refining capacity. Facilities of this scale handle large volumes of crude oil and refined products, making fire safety and incident response a continual operational priority.

A refining sector under strain

Venezuela's refining infrastructure, including the Paraguaná complex, has faced years of underinvestment, sanctions-related pressure and reported maintenance issues, which have at times been linked to operational incidents at various facilities. The exact cause of this particular fire was not specified in available reporting.

Local media did not report significant disruption beyond the fire itself, and authorities have not released further details on the extent of any damage to equipment or on whether the incident affected refinery output. Venezuelan authorities and the state oil company have not issued an independent statement on the matter in the initial reporting available.

Further updates on the cause of the fire and any effect on the refinery's operations were not immediately available.