Venezuela claims Amuay Refinery blast in 2012 was sabotage

Gas leak caused deadly blast killing 42 and costing over $1.1 billion

Sept. 18, 2013

Venezuela's oil minister, Rafael Ramirez, announced Sept. 9, according to a Washington Post report, that the investigation into the cause of the deadly August 25th, 2012, blast at the state-run Amuay Refinery, which killed 42 people, determined that the explosion was the result of sabotage.

According to Ramirez, the offending gas leak was deliberately caused by loosening the bolts on a pump. Ramirez did not say whether the authorities had any suspects in the case but that he did not believe employees at the refinery had anything to do with it.

However, Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, said that the explosion was caused by political opponents but did not provide any evidence.

Damages from the explosion are estimated at over $1.1 billion.