Libya gasoline tank collapses after attack, NOC says

A gasoline storage tank at Libya's Zawiya refinery, west of Tripoli, caught fire and collapsed on Monday after what the National Oil Corporation said was a direct attack by unknown perpetrators.

The NOC said tank 402-T, owned by Brega Oil Company and used to store gasoline, contained about 4.5 million litres. The tank is at Libya's second largest oil refinery, which has a refining capacity of 120,000 barrels per day.

Brega Oil Company said firefighters were working to contain the blaze and that cooling operations were underway for nearby tanks to stop the fire spreading.

The NOC declared a state of emergency and called for an investigation. It also condemned what it said were similar recent attacks in Zawiya, including two drone attacks over the weekend on a naphtha reservoir and a water desalination plant.

It was unclear whether anyone was killed or injured.

Libya has Africa's largest oil reserves but remains divided between the UN-recognised government in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and a rival authority in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar. The Tripoli-based government said Dbeibah met security officials and armed group chiefs earlier on Monday to discuss the latest security developments and urged action against threats to vital facilities.