(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 13 - A second maintenance operation had
not started yet when a deadly blast occurred at an Eni oil depot
near Florence on Monday, contrary to previous reports, the
energy giant said Friday.
Eni said the "second intervention had been planned that morning
but had not physically started and was therefore not ongoing at
the time of the explosion".
Earlier on Friday, investigative sources said that, at the time
of a deadly explosion, two separate maintenance operations were
ongoing at the facility.
They said one was taking place at one of 10 platforms, the
number 7 next to platform 6 of the site's loading area and
concerned a supply line to load oil on tanker trucks.
The other operation instead was to repair two vapour recovery
units - a smaller and a larger one - which were not functioning
properly and which were located on platform 6 where the blast
occurred, killing three tanker truck drivers, two maintenance
workers and injuring nine others, the sources claimed.
Prosecutors are investigating details involving maintenance work
to determine the cause of the blast.
Petrol, diesel and kerosene was received and stored at the
170,300- square-metre Calenzano facility and then distributed
from it. (ANSA).