South African Refinery Shut Down Because of Fire, SAPA Reports

By Paul Richardson

Nov. 13 (Bloomberg) -- An oil refinery at the South African port of Durban has been shut down after a fire earlier today, the South African Press Association reported, citing Herb Payne, a spokesman for Engen Ltd., which owns the facility.

A fire broke out at midnight and was extinguished by 3.10 a.m. local time, the Johannesburg-based news agency said. The cause of the fire isn't known, it said.

The refinery, located in the southern Durban suburb of Wentworth, supplies South Africa with almost 20 percent of its refined fuel, Sapa said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Richardson in Johannesburg at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.