Massive pipeline explosion accident, says US

BOMBING DENIED: The US said the explosion was caused by maintenance personnel. (AFP)

An explosion that blew up an Iraqi oil pipeline south of Baghdad was caused accidentally, the US military said on Saturday, adding the firefighters had contained a blaze sparked by the blast.

On Friday, an Iraqi police officer in Babil province said the pipeline had been bombed and 10 guards were wounded in an attack near the town of Musayyib, south of Baghdad.

But the American military said the explosion had been an accident.

"The fire was caused accidentally by maintenance personnel," it said in a statement quoting Major General Ra'ad Jawad, commander of Karbala Operations Command.

It said the explosion injured eight Iraqi workers and that the fire was contained at 1:30 am (2230 GMT on Friday).

It was the second time in the past year that the pipeline has been damaged. Last June an explosion damaged it close to the nearby town of Iskandiriyah.

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