Three killed in Colombia oil accident - Maurel

PARIS, July 22 (Reuters) - Three people have been killed in an accident at Colombia's Ocelote oil field, French oil company Maurel & Prom said in a statement on Tuesday.

Maurel & Prom said a storage tank with a capacity of 500 barrels exploded at 4:30 p.m. local time on Monday.

The explosion caused the deaths of the three employees, who were working at the field for external companies.

Other tanks of a similar capacity were also destroyed or damaged, Maurel & Prom said, adding that the effect on the field's production should be insignificant.

"An inquiry is taking place to determine the origin of this accident, which at this stage seems purely accidental," the company added.

Maurel & Prom is the main operator of the field. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Paul Bolding)