KUWAIT CITY — Several people were injured when a fire broke out at an oil refinery on Monday, but operations were unaffected, KUNA news agency reported quoting a statement by Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC).

Plumes of smoke rose above the Mina al-Ahmadi facility, located on the Gulf coast about 40 kilometers south of the capital Kuwait City.

The atmospheric residue desulphurization (ARDS) unit where the fire broke out was isolated and the fire has been fully brought under control, the state refiner said.

A number of workers employed by a contractor suffered minor injuries and smoke inhalation, KNPC said. Some were treated on site while others were taken to hospital and are in stable condition, it said.

The company, after initially stating that there were no casualties, later tweeted that there were a number of injuries.

It said those injured had received first aid at the site, or been transported to a hospital and were in "stable condition".

Firefighters were in the process of putting out the blaze, the company said.

"The refinery operations and export operations were not affected and there has been no impact to local marketing operations and supplies to the electricity and water ministry," KNPC said on its Twitter account.

Last month, KNPC said it started full operation of a project to expand refining capacity and produce fuel that generates lower emissions, including expanding capacity at the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery to 346,000 barrels per day. — Agencies