At least 18 people have been injured in a fire that broke out in a crude oil storage tank at the La Salina oil terminal in Venezuela, according to informed sources.

The fire broke out in the early hours of this morning during a storm and continued into the afternoon as firefighters worked to control the blaze, sending up a column of black smoke, the sources added.

The plant, which is mainly used for domestic purposes, is operated by Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA and is located near the western city of Cabimas on the shores of Lake Maracaibo.

There has been no official comment from the company on the incident.

Earlier in the day, firefighters said they were continuing their efforts to control and extinguish the fire, according to media reports.