The fire which broke out in the Sisak oil refinery around 1030 hrs Monday was completely extinguished shortly after 1400 hrs, local authorities reported on Monday afternoon.

According to a report from the hospital in that city 50 kilometres southeast of Zagreb, four firefighters were admitted to hospital, with two of them having inhaled too much smoke and one having sustained burns of the first and second degree. The fourth firefighter collapsed, and after receiving an IV infusion he will be discharged.

More than 130 firefighters and some 60 fire-fighting cars from Sisak and Zagreb were engaged to put out the fire which could have spread to the refinery's reservoirs, the head of the National Protection and Rescue Directorate, Damir Trut, said this afternoon.

The MOL group, a co-owner of the INA oil company, issued a statement expressing deep concern over the accident in the Sisak refinery.