San Antonio refinery on fire following explosion

WFAA and KENS 5 ^

[Eyes Unclouded]

An oil refinery just southeast of downtown San Antonio is on fire.

The fire started at the AGE Refinery on South Presa, following an explosion. Large black plumes of smoke can be seen spilling into the skies above San Antonio.

The plant is located near Mission San Juan on Military Dr. and Presa.

AGE Refining, Inc., is based out of San Antonio. They refine several specialized petroleum products, including jet fuel and diesel. The company was founded in 1991.

There is at least one burn victim, according to initial reports.

Our sister station, KENS 5, has a crew on the way.

[null and void]

So..are we going to continue to pursue the idea that all of this is accidental and coincidental?

Yes.

Energy is just too inherently dangerous to be extracted in America.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Awful lot of oil-related accidents happening lately.

Or perhaps “accidents” is the wrong term.

[GOPJ]

Has CNN or MSMBC blamed it on a tea party member yet?

[null and void]

MNJohnnie ~ “Hello $5 a gallon gas”

Jack Hydrazine ~ No, no, no. Think $8/gal. fuel!

Well, 0bama did promise us european gasoline prices, didn't he?

[Eyes Unclouded]

An 18 wheeler exploded and started the fire. This is right by Brooks AFB.

The explosion happened around 11:30 a.m. at AGE Refining, Inc. located at 7811 South Presa, near Southeast Military Drive.

An AGE official said there were approximately 50 employees who would have been working at the refinery at the time of the explosion, and all of the employees there have been evacuated. The official also stated crude oil comes in on 18-wheelers and primarily jet and diesel fuel goes out. It is not known what was in the truck that exploded.

San Antonio Fire Department officials said they are in the process of evacuating people within a 1 mile radius of the refinery.

[rahbert]

Already 3.45/gal this morning in Woodinville.

[GonzoGOP]

No wood cutting to be allowed, comrad./s

Just tear down all the houses that were build for illegals with no jobs and now down payment that are sitting foreclosed and vacant all over the place.

[ColdOne]

Now wait! What is going on????? This is just weird for me all of a sudden. Or is it just me??

[RegulatorCountry]

Oil rigs and pirates and refineries ... oh my!

[henkster]

Reichstag

[Frenchtown Dan]

Or maybe some sheep. Can use the wool and have lambchops too.

Just keep the sheep away from 0bozo.

[dragnet2]

It's burning real good....

[IYAS9YAS]

“Mr Bond, they have a saying in Chicago: ‘Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it’s enemy action’.”
— Ian Fleming (Goldfinger)

[giotto]

I’m really starting to see a pattern here

Maybe with the coal mine and the offshore rig, but refineries blow up all the time. I grew up near a bunch of refineries, and there was an explosion about every two months. It's just dangerous work.

[IYAS9YAS]

No wood cutting to be allowed, comrad./s

If a tree falls on an eco-Nazi, does it make a sound?

[ßuddaßudd]

Bad Carbon! Bad !

[Tuxedo]

It is pretty big - south of my location inside 410 on the NW side. Radio report said a tanker carrying octane exploded (static electricity maybe) at the terminal and fire had spread to the refinery. They primarily supply jet fuel and diesel fuel to the US Air Force and are the only refinery in the city limits. Lots of black smoke. 2-alarm so far.

[Eyes Unclouded]

Turns out this company was going through bankruptcy. Friday, February 26, 2010 AGE Refining expecting to emerge from Chapter 11 soon Read more: AGE Refining expecting to emerge from Chapter 11 soon - San Antonio Business Journal: A cash crisis brought on by low refining margins forced AGE Refining Inc. to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late last month. According to the bankruptcy filing, the company has assets between $10 million and $50 million and debts between $100 million and $500 million. AGE Refining is a 10-year-old San Antonio company that refines and markets jet fuels, diesel products, solvents and other highly specialized fuels. Mark E. Andrews, an attorney with Cox Smith Matthews Inc. who represents AGE, says the company was forced to file its petition for bankruptcy after lenders said they could no longer extend credit for the purchase of new crude oil. That has led to a partial shut-down of the company’s refining operations at 7811 S. Presa St. — which Andrews says is temporary. The company finished its last batch of refined products during the second week of February. However, shortly after the petition was filed, Andrews says an agreement was worked out for the lenders to extend credit. The primary lenders are JP Morgan Chase and Chase Capital. “The plan is to continue operations in the next two weeks,” Andrews says. “The question is what the ownership structure and debt structure will be.” Glen Gonzalez, owner and CEO of AGE Refining, did not return calls for comment before deadline. The company’s refining complex has two processing facilities off South Presa Street, a 13,500-barrel-per day-crude unit and a 1,500-barrel-per-day solvent distillation unit. It specializes in producing distillates — a range of refined products that include diesel, jet fuel and solvents. The company does not produce any gasoline. Read more: AGE Refining expecting to emerge from Chapter 11 soon - San Antonio Business Journal:

[ctdonath2]

Not sarcasm: the Obama wants to regulate home sales, including not allowing a sale of a home with a wood stove.

[b4its2late]

18 wheeler exploded per Rush