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TAIWANESE refining company Formosa Petrochemicals has closed its 540,000 bbl/day refinery complex at Mailiao due to a fire.

According to media reports, the fire started in the no. 2 desulphurisation unit on Sunday at around 20.00 local time (12.00 GMT). The fire is now mostly contained but still burning.  A company spokesman told Reuters that the fires will be allowed to burn out to ensure that no flammable gases remain. Formosa hopes to restart the no 1. and no. 3 units within a couple of days. Nobody was injured in the fire, which has reduced the refinery complex’s output by a third.

Channel News Asia reports that the fire, the third at the complex this year, triggered protests from local residents who say their lives are endangered by such fires, and are attempting to block Formosa’s expansion plans. The local government fined the company TWD 1m ($31,250) for this latest fire and said there would be a daily charge until air pollution was back down to safe levels.

The refinery complex is now widely expected to face rigorous monitoring and inspections from local government officials.