Refinery explosion occurs near San Juan, PR

[dixiebreeze]

Read it on another web site. Some said it may be an airplane

[StormingB81]

http://www.inquisitr.com/44141/explosio ... light-837/

Looks like it was a plane....sad here is a news story I found about it

[dixiebreeze]

Here are photos from a blog: http://www.alexanderallen.name/node/57

[StormingB81]

Spirit Airlines 837...It is missing. They believe thatwas the explosion

[AJC3]

AFAICT...Spirit Airlines Flight 837 landed safely at Luis Munoz Airport in San Juan.

It appears that the explosion that occurred actually took place at a petroleum refinery...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... pGfpzcrHd8

Puerto Rico Refinery Ablaze Following Two Explosions

By Gianluca Baratti

Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Caribbean Petroleum Corp.’s refinery 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.

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.

Several tanks at the oil distribution center were ablaze, and firefighters sought to prevent further explosions, the Associated Press reported, citing the director of emergency services in San Juan.

Calls to the company seeking comment went unanswered.

[cycloneye]

The only thing I can tell all is that I was awaken by a powerful bang and I live far from the refinary.

I will get more information later but here is a photo gallery of the explosions at the refinary.

http://www.elnuevodia.com/fotogaleria/629732/

[cycloneye]

Is still early to say what caused the explosions but the FBI,Homeland Security are helping the local authorities.

Here are some videos of the emergency.

http://www.primerahora.com/diario/notic ... ulf/339711

[cycloneye]

There will be a press conference at noon EDT when the FBI and local goverment officials including the Governor will give more details about these explosions.

Here is more information about what is going on here.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33445763/ns ... -americas/

[HURAKAN]

WOW. Very impressive pictures

[cycloneye]

Impressive radar of the dense smoke plume.

[cycloneye]

The latest news is that the investigation is starting on the causes of this explosion.Its a miracle that no deaths occured although there were 2 people injured when glass was broken in a condo when the explosion occured.

Below is the refinary before the explosion.

[HURAKAN]

Good to hear that no one died.

[cycloneye]

PRC021-033-061-127-137-240515-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
110 PM AST FRI OCT 23 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN JUAN HAS ISSUED A SPECIAL WEATHER
STATEMENT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 745 PM AST FRIDAY FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING MUNICIPALITIES
IN PUERTO RICO
BAYAMON...GUAYNABO...CATANO...SAN JUAN AND TOA BAJA

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
CATANO...GUAYNABO AND LEVITTOWN

...SMOKE PLUME OVER CATANO...

THE SMOKE PLUME FROM THE LARGE FIRE IN CATANO IS MOVING TOWARDS
THE NORTH AND THE PLUME HAS EXPANDED VERTICALLY. THIS IS GOOD NEWS
FOR RESIDENTS AS IT ALLOWS SMOKE TO RISE VERTICALLY...AWAY FROM
THE GROUND. EXPECT A SLIGHT TURN DURING THE AFTERNOON TOWARDS THE
NORTH NORTH WEST...WHICH MAY PUSH THE SMOKE PLUME A BIT FURTHER
WEST THAN CURRENTLY LOCATED. CURRENTLY...ONLY THE MUNICIPALITIES
OF CATANO...GUAYNABO AND TOA BAJA ARE UNDER THE DIRECT PATH OF THE
PLUME. HOWEVER...THIS SITUATION WILL CHANGE THIS EVENING AS THE
ATMOSPHERE BECOMES MORE STABLE AND WINDS BECOME LIGHTER AND MORE
FROM THE EAST. THAT WILL CAUSE MUCH MORE EXPOSURE TO SMOKE DOWN TO
THE SURFACE AND AROUND AREAS DIRECTLY SURROUNDING CATANO...WITH
THE AREAS OF HEAVIEST IMPACT TO BE JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE
FIRE IN CATANO...LEVITTOWN...TOA BAJA...PARTS OF
GUAYNABO...NORTHERN DORADO AND NORTHERN VEGA BAJA.

[Stephanie]

It is a miracle that noone was killed in that. I worry about the long-term health of people in the path of that smoke plume. I love that radar Luis of the smoke plume's movement.

[cycloneye]

The whole fire has been extinguished.About the contamination,also good news is that no real effects occured to the population as they were moved from their homes to safe places away.

Now the investigation to find the cause has started.