Overview
- Authorities confirmed the Nov. 19 fire at the José Antonio Anzoátegui complex, identifying the affected facility as a Petrocedeño unit that upgrades extra-heavy crude.
- Civil Protection officials and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello reported the blaze was controlled and said no workers or nearby residents were injured.
- Local reports and Reuters earlier described an explosion preceding the fire and indicated the flames began near a distillation tower, with possible spread toward an adjacent naphtha unit.
- Emergency protocols were activated, personnel were evacuated, and ambulances and firefighting crews were deployed to the site.
- Officials have not disclosed a cause, and while they reported no impact on operations, broader assessments of damage and risks remain pending.