Posted on 07/18/2006 8:01:21 PM PDT by Semper911
An oil tanker moored in Providence harbor was apparently struck by lightning, and is burning in towering flames. I posted this in breaking because there is an LPG tanker moored nearby, and officials are worried the mooring lines on the burning tanker will burn through, and it will drift toward the LPG.
On live video: A ship is pulling away from the pier, and the burning tanker continues to burn. Flames much less now. I can't tell, but the burning vessel may be a tanker barge rather than a ship.
We're breathing N. It's inert. If it's liquified, it will cause the next ice age. Be careful out there.
When they bring LNG tankers into Boston Harbor it is high security. Lots of helicopters and Coast Guard ships guarding it. They tend to bring them in on weekends rather than at a time lots of people are in the city. They figure if it is the target of a successful terrorist attack they would lose all of downtown Boston and most of the area within a 2 miles radius. It is a serious safety concern.
Okay, it's not a barge. It is an off shore tanker.
With Greta Van Sustern
Ch12 WQRI says 80-90 firefighters at the scene.
Crash crew from airport is contributing more foam.
They are making sure other valves are shut off near the fire.
Reports that......Fuel is thought to be gasoline.
They think it is contained (all valves closed) ...once they begin to foam...... it will take an hour to put out.
LNG tankers DO NOT carry nitrogen.
Yes, that's the concern here.
"85 Dolphins reported seeing "stiff looking" shark run right into the hull just before the fire started."
Goodbye and thanks for all the fish.
They keep talking about laying down foam, but foam is pretty useless when it is raining. And it is.
Do you know if anyone was on the ship?
Tonight at the airport they were announcing that the flight to Providence was delayed. No estimate of when it would depart.
Now I know why.
the effectiveness is reduced, but its not useless.
The fire chief said there were no injuries reported.
I believe some of its students did an anti-ReaganBush publicity stunt of having cyanide available for suicide (on account of SDI and all that, don't you know).
Maybe they should check to see if it's still there...?
Tremendous t-storms coming through here tonight. No sign of letting up per the radar.
I was just wondering if a skeleton crew (no pun intended) stays on or if they "lock the doors" and leave at ports.
anyone got any news feeds....?
I don't get it. Ships, including tankers, get hit by lightning all the time.
The oil in a tanker is kept in compartments with zero oxygen in order to minimize the risk of explosion. So how did oxygen get to the oil?
Perhaps, if they were in the process of off-loading oil in the middle of a storm, something could be broken by a lightning bolt, oil could be spilled, and then ignited. But I still wonder how the whole ship could go up in this way. Either something extremely unusual went wrong, or this story is missing a few details.
But you know what I mean.
Update: The electricity has been cut off to the area, and most streets are closed in the area. Flames much smaller now, and firefighters standing around waiting to get started. Basically they can only wait for it to burn itself out. Bad air is a concern.
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