The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) satellite, which captures images in the visible, near-infrared and thermal infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, took the pictures on Tuesday, just after the fire broke out.

The AVHRR satellite is one of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's polar orbiting environmental satellites. In addition to capturing images of such disasters, the satellite is used to monitor natural phenomena such as sea surface tempatures, volcanic eruptions and cloud patterns.

The fire at the state-owned Tupras refinery in Izmit, close to the epicenter of the earthquake, has been burning since the earthquake struck on Tuesday. Early Friday morning, the general manager at the refinery told Reuters that the fire was under control.