Venezuela refinery fire burns for a third day
Source: Agencies |
August 28, 2012, Tuesday
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A fire burned for a third day in two fuel storage tanks at Venezuela's biggest refinery yesterday, putting in doubt plans to quickly restart the facility after one of the worst accidents to hit the global oil industry for decades.
A thick column of dark smoke and flames leaping from the tanks at the 645,000 barrel-per-day facility. Officials say that if they fail to extinguish the blaze with foam, they will let it burn out by itself, which could take two or three days.
Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said from the scene that fire crews had worked through the night and were continuing their efforts yesterday. "The breeze is changing direction all the time so we have to move the firefighting crews to keep trying to extinguish the fire," Ramirez said. "Last night we had a fire truck trapped by the blaze, fortunately without any victims or damage."
A gas leak caused an explosion and then a fire before dawn on Saturday at the facility, part of the world's second biggest refinery complex. Nearby homes were obliterated, at least 41 people killed and dozens more wounded.
Ramirez had said earlier that Amuay could restart in two days at most but he gave no further details yesterday.
State oil company PDVSA says none of Amuay's production units were affected and that Venezuela has enough stocks to meet its commitments to the domestic market and keep up exports. President Hugo Chavez promised a full investigation into the tragedy during an emotional visit to the scene on Sunday.
Ivan Freites, a union leader at the Paraguana complex, said it was not possible for the refinery to restart within two days of the blast.
Saturday's blast ranks as one of the most deadly oil industry accidents in recent history, nearing the toll of the 1997 fire at India's Visakhapatnam refinery that killed 56, and topping the 2005 Texas City refinery blast in the United States, which killed 15.
A thick column of dark smoke and flames leaping from the tanks at the 645,000 barrel-per-day facility. Officials say that if they fail to extinguish the blaze with foam, they will let it burn out by itself, which could take two or three days.
Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said from the scene that fire crews had worked through the night and were continuing their efforts yesterday. "The breeze is changing direction all the time so we have to move the firefighting crews to keep trying to extinguish the fire," Ramirez said. "Last night we had a fire truck trapped by the blaze, fortunately without any victims or damage."
A gas leak caused an explosion and then a fire before dawn on Saturday at the facility, part of the world's second biggest refinery complex. Nearby homes were obliterated, at least 41 people killed and dozens more wounded.
Ramirez had said earlier that Amuay could restart in two days at most but he gave no further details yesterday.
State oil company PDVSA says none of Amuay's production units were affected and that Venezuela has enough stocks to meet its commitments to the domestic market and keep up exports. President Hugo Chavez promised a full investigation into the tragedy during an emotional visit to the scene on Sunday.
Ivan Freites, a union leader at the Paraguana complex, said it was not possible for the refinery to restart within two days of the blast.
Saturday's blast ranks as one of the most deadly oil industry accidents in recent history, nearing the toll of the 1997 fire at India's Visakhapatnam refinery that killed 56, and topping the 2005 Texas City refinery blast in the United States, which killed 15.
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