Fire at Sapugaskanda Refinery contained, no impact on fuel supply: CPC Chief

Friday, 12 September 2025 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

CPC Chairman D.J. Rajakaruna

Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman D.J. Rajakaruna yesterday confirmed that the fire which broke out on Wednesday evening in an unused crude oil tank at the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery has been fully brought under control, with no impact on the country’s fuel supply, refinery operations, or distribution network.

Speaking at a media briefing, Rajakaruna explained that preliminary investigations point to sparks from maintenance work as the likely cause of the blaze. The affected tank, with a capacity of 40,000 tons, had not been in operation since 2017.

“It was a crude oil tank which we had stopped using since 2017. From 2018 onwards it underwent maintenance work. At the time of the fire, it didn’t have any crude oil, but there was some residue at the bottom,” he said.

According to Rajakaruna, the tank’s roof had broken off and was floating, making internal access difficult. “Maintenance crews had been attempting to cut through the structure to clean out the residue when sparks ignited the fire,” he added.

He also noted that tenders for formal repairs had already been called three weeks earlier.

The CPC Chairman said the Fire and Rescue Service Department deployed 11 fire trucks to battle the blaze, supported by the Army, Air Force and Disaster Management Centre (DMC). “After several hours of joint efforts, the fire was fully extinguished in the early hours of yesterday. No injuries or casualties were reported,” he said.