ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two workers were killed and a driver injured when a fuel truck exploded in Duhok province early Monday, according to the civil defense spokesperson. Bewar Abdulaziz, spokesperson for Duhok’s civil defense directorate, told Rudaw that the fire erupted while fuel was being unloaded from an oil tanker, triggering an explosion that killed two workers and injured the driver. The incident occurred around 2:10 am in Kwashe village, about 20 kilometers northwest of Duhok city. Abdulaziz said the fire was caused by high temperatures. The village is home to dozens of illegal oil refineries that operate outside environmental regulations and pose risks to nearby residents and the environment. The deceased were identified as Masoud Hussein, 23, and Qaidar Dindar, 19. The injured driver sustained burns to 85 percent of his body and is being treated at Duhok Burn and Plastic Surgery Hospital, Abdulaziz added. In a separate incident on Friday, one worker died and another was injured in Sulaimani when a kerosene tank exploded on a rooftop where they were working. Dozens of workers die annually in the Kurdistan Region due to unsafe working conditions, according to the Kurdistan Workers’ Syndicate, which recorded 32 deaths in the first seven months of this year. “Every year, tens of workers lose their lives while working,” said Hangaw Abdullah, head of the Kurdistan Workers’ Syndicate, in a recent statement. He added that many employers avoid signing contracts to evade legal responsibilities, leaving families of uninsured victims without compensation.
