Tripoli, August 11 (QNA) - Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) declared a state of emergency Monday after a Brega Petroleum Marketing Company fuel tank containing 4.5 million liters of gasoline was directly targeted, causing a fire before the tank collapsed.

The NOC warned of an immediate threat to the facility, nearby oil installations and surrounding areas.

It called for urgent intervention, a comprehensive investigation and the identification and prosecution of those responsible.

Brega said the fire broke out after the tank was damaged under circumstances whose cause remains unknown.

Firefighting, safety and emergency teams responded while cooling adjacent tanks to prevent the flames from spreading, as authorities continued assessing the damage. (QNA)