Posted on 10/23/2009 4:57:58 AM PDT by cll
Edited on 10/23/2009 5:12:25 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
CATANO, Puerto Rico — An explosion at a Gulf gasoline facility Friday rocked a neighborhood outside Puerto Rico's capital, causing minor injuries and forcing evacuations as firefighters raced to prevent additional blasts.
Several columns of black smoke and flames were rising from the Caribbean Petroleum Corp., a gasoline warehouse and distribution center on San Juan's bay that owns the Gulf brand in this U.S. Caribbean territory.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
- The explosion was felt all over the Metro Area.
- The Chief of the PR Fire Dept. says that the fire will take days to extinguished.
- Major highways leading into San Juan from the west are closed.
- Hundreds of people have been evacuated from the area.
- When the wind starts picking up mid morning, whole towns might have to be evacuated.
- The airport and tourist areas are not affected.
- This is a major fire. Terrorism not ruled out. FBI is on it. Yesterday, labor leaders had promised "surprises" for today in relation to their ongoing protests over the recent massive government layoffs.
Ah, there's nothing quite like shooting yourself in the foot and destroying other people's income and living in order to get your revenge.
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Three fuel tanks burn inside the gasoline warehouse and distribution center of Caribbean Petroleum Corp., owned by Gulf, in Catano, Puerto Rico, in the early hours of Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. An explosion at the Gulf gasoline facility rocked a neighborhood outside Puerto Rico's capital, causing at least some minor injuries and forcing evacuations as firefighters raced to prevent additional blasts. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton) |
That sounds remarkably akin to the overall policy of the DNC and Obama administration.
"Party down while we [****] up everything in sight."
According to the wind forecast, the cloud of smoke should blow over to the ocean and stay away from the major population centers of the San Juan Metro area.
www.endi.com and wwww.vocero.com, the major local news outlets, seem overloaded right now.
Anyway, I decided to make lemonade from lemons and plan on writing a humorous travel story called "Speed Vacation" in which we try to do as much sightseeing as possible in one day. Since we are basically there for one day, lounging at a beach hotel is a costly waste of time. Soooo...Anybody out there in PR willing to provide us with a place to sleep for two nights. We plan to be up early on Saturday and spend the day and into the evening sightseeing. Then Sunday morning we are off to the airport to return to Florida.
If you can put up with us for two nights only (we will be gone all day Saturday), please Freep me. You could be immortalized in my "Speed Vacation" story (I was PUBLISHED in the Wall Street Journal last week.)
We won't be a bother as long as you don't stare at a small backward "L" shaped scar by my right eye. Please don't even look at it for more than a lingering moment because I am extremely sensitive about it. Got that? DON'T STARE AT MY DAMN SCAR!!! ...Okay, okay, I feel better now. In fact I might even tell you how I got that scar which happened when I was 11 and living in Puerto Rico (Dos Pinos).
Spirit Airlines flight missing?!
You got something on your cheek. Oh, nevermind.
Actually I was pretty lucky...less than an eight of an inch difference would have meant no eye. So I like to think of it as my lucky scar. BUT DON’T STARE AT IT!!!
;0)
Great. Just what those faux speculators need to raise gas prices again.
Some [bad] joker posted a sign a sign that reads “Death to Gulf” in a major traffic tunnel in San Juan.
Police/FBI briefing:
FBI SAIC: “There’s federal jurisdiction here”
FBI SAIC: “ATF specialists en route from DC”
Police Chief: “Not reaching any conclusions yet...too early to rule in or rule out anything”
Police Chief: “there have been several bomb threats this morning around the Metro Area”.
Time to buy some Exxon stock
I am sure someone in Puerto Rico has a shed and a pallet for you guys, it’d be a great experience. =o)
Fire Dept: 80,000 barrels of fuel lost. Not clear if 80K bb per tank (11 tanks lost total) or if 80K bb total.
If I know of something I’ll let you know.
Remember Gulf gas stations? Very widespread, at least in Fla, in 50’s and 60’s.
Thought they were bought by BP.
Hmmm. Have Bambi and Michelle been to PR yet?
We might even stay Friday night at the public campground on Culebra. Not sure yet.
BTW, we might spend the first night at the public campground on Culebra.
“Remember Gulf gas stations?”
They still exist around here.
http://www.elexpresso.com
God forbid it was a terrorist incident.
Did the PR cops go on strike yet?
-Gasoline in Northern Indiana expected to go from $3.69 to ?.??
Si te vas a San Juan por mantecado / O a mirar a la gente en el Condado / Gulf te lleva / Gulf te lleva / Con el Filtro Final / Gulf te lleva
This smells of Al Qaeda. Wait until the facts come in of course, but this would be right up there with their modus operandi.
That is not good....Chavez fans?
fyi
Other developments:
- Public and Catholic schools in San Juan, Bayamón, Guaynabo, and Cataño are closed today.
- 125 homes in Cataño have been evacuated.
- The U.S. Coast Guard has closed San Juan Bay.
- The Puerto Rico Fire Department reports that the fire has been “contained”, with 11 out of 40 tanks in the facility still ablaze. The unaffected tanks are being “chilled” to prevent the fire from spreading.
- The Governor’s Office reports that only 3 people have been injured. One was treated for smoke inhalation and two from adjacent Fort Buchanan for contusions.
- 20 fire trucks and 85 fire fighters are at the scene of the blaze.
- The Puerto Rico Department of Consumer Affairs reassures the population that neither the supply nor the price of gasoline in the island will be affected.
“Chavez fans?”
Absolutely.
“This smells of Al Qaeda”
I would say more like Chavez operatives, if anything.
“The Governor’s Office reports that only 3 people have been injured. One was treated for smoke inhalation and two from adjacent Fort Buchanan for contusions”
What an incredible blessing to have such low casualities!! Prayers up for the firefighters protection & civilians in the pathway of the smoke. And I’m one of those who doesn’t necessarily rule out a terror link (even if CNN says no!)
Fort Buchanan is closed UFN.
I would be VERY surprised if, after an exhaustive investigation, both the Commonwealth and federal authorities find no evidence of a criminal/terrorist act behind the fire.
A union leader on the radio right now denying any involvement. Says that if anything, it is the Puerto Rican right wingers who would do such a thing to try and pin the blame on the left.
What’s UFN? I have some friends who live on base. He’s the Principal of the high school there.
Never mind - figured it out.
But, of course! “Right-wingers” are the only terrorists out there!
There’s one person from the base being treated. Not sure what the injury is. Nothing serious though. I’ll keep you posted.
This is the view from the airport. The cluster of buildings on the left is the Hato Rey financial district, which is miles from the fire.
This is the view from just south of the facility. San Juan Harbor is in the background.
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