A significant fire that ignited on Tuesday at an oil tank in Venezuela's La Salina terminal, operated by state-owned PDVSA, is nearing complete extinguishment, firefighters in Cabimas reported on Wednesday. The blaze began during an early Tuesday storm at the facility, which the state oil company utilizes near the western Venezuelan city of Cabimas for storing and shipping crude oil between domestic ports. Large flames produced a plume of black smoke and released hot steam, resulting in minor injuries to over 21 employees and nearby residents. Two explosions and intense heat impacted the tank's structural integrity, as evidenced by videos reviewed by Reuters. As of Wednesday, the fire was reported to be 90% to 95% extinguished by both firefighters and PDVSA sources, leaving the site blackened and dotted with large pools of foam. PDVSA confirmed the incident on Wednesday involving crude tank 75012 and stated that firefighters successfully prevented the fire from spreading to other storage facilities. The adjacent Bajo Grande oil-exporting terminal remained unaffected. Frequent fires and power outages are common occurrences at PDVSA's aging infrastructure, often leading to operational disruptions.