Algiers, Dec 1 (IANS): Nine people were injured in a fire that broke out in an oil refinery in northern Algeria, the official APS news agency reported.

The fire broke out on Tuesday morning at the Skikda refinery of the state-owned Sonatrach Group but was immediately extinguished, Sonatrach said in a statement, without mentioning the cause of the fire, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the APS.

This "painful incident" left nine people injured, who were performing routine maintenance work, Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab was quoted as saying by the APS.

However, the fire did not affect the production of the refinery which continued its operation, Arkab said.

The minister added that Sonatrach had taken "all preventive measures in order to quickly control and contain the fire."

The Skikda refinery, located 500 km east of the capital Algiers, is one of the largest and most important refineries in the North African country.