BAGHDAD, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's Oil Ministry announced on Sunday that a gas leak and subsequent fire at one of its storage facilities in southern Basra province left one person dead and four others injured.

A statement by the ministry stated that the incident occurred at 09:15 a.m. local time (0615 GMT) in one of the gas systems at the Zubair 1 depot, resulting in a fire within the facility's "old pumping system."

A preliminary investigation revealed that a Basra Oil Company employee was killed and four other workers were injured.

Firefighting teams from the oil sector and the Basra provincial government were immediately dispatched to the site to contain the blaze.

According to the statement, crews have gained "partial control over the fire area," with efforts ongoing to fully extinguish the fire. ■