Huge explosion in PR oil refinery
Puerto Rico Refinery Ablaze Following Two Explosions
Caribbean Petroleum Corp.’s refinery and tank farm at Bayamon, Puerto Rico is on fire after two explosions at the site today.Firefighters are still fighting the blaze, the cause of which is still unknown, according to a spokeswoman for the local Guaynabo police force, who was speaking by telephone and asked to not be identified by name. She said the explosions happened at about 12:30 a.m. local time.
At least 11 tanks at the oil distribution center were ablaze, and firefighters were trying to prevent further explosions at 22 other tanks, local news service Noti Uno reported, citing police superintendent Jose Fugeroa Sancha.
CPC markets the Gulf brand on the island. The Bayamon facility, near the capital city of San Juan, can process 48,000 barrels of crude oil a day, according to the company Web site.
The sour-crude refinery isn’t operating, according to undated information on the Web site. The facility also houses a tank farm and oil-product import terminal.
One of the versions of the story said, Explosion near San Juan, Puerto Rico believed to be Crashed Spirit Airlines Flight 837, but police later confirmed that no aircraft were involved.
Noticias 24 posted a homemade video (in Spanish):
El Nuevo Dia is running news updates (in Spanish). The latest is that the fire is still raging, local schools and businesses are closed, and electricity has been cut off in the neighborhood of the fire. The FBI are already investigating.
This massive fire affects the entire metro area. We’ll see if it has any effect on oil prices, too.
Tags: Fausta's blog
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:54 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Fausta, Fausta. Fausta said: Huge explosion in PR oil refinery http://ff.im/-amCpB [...]
October 23rd, 2009 at 10:01 am
I wonder what this says about me. I live in Fajardo and this is the first place I heard the news. My first thought was to log on to one of the PR news sites and see if I could find some video.
Then I thought, This is big enough that Fox or CNN will be carrying it.
Only after 30-60 seconds did I realize that I could go directly to local channels 2, 4, 6, 7, 11, 13 and see real time video and reportage.
I really need to get off the internet more.
In any event, this fire is huge. I think the news just said that there are 13 tanks on fire now. This is the last refinery we have operating on the island as well as the only major terminal on the north coast.
I do not see how this can fail to significantly affect gas prices here on the island.
Also, the refinery is right alongside the main east-west expressway into San Juan. Traffic is seriously screwed.
Thanks, Fausta, for being my first source of news on this. Thanks also for all the other news you post daily.
John Henry
http://www.changeover.com
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
[...] the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. … More here: Fausta's Blog » Blog Archive » Huge explosion in PR oil refinery Share and [...]
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:19 pm
My mother-in-law told me about it this morning, and she lives in CT. I found it on Fox right after she told me.
***
John Henry,
What does that say about you?
Simple: that you live in my hometown!! My mom still lives there!
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Hey Newton,
If you went to Fajardo HS, you may know my wife.
Drop me a line at john@changeover.com
October 24th, 2009 at 3:57 am
[...] Fausta's Blog » Blog Archive » Huge explosion in PR oil refinery [...]