Middletown, Connecticut rocked by explosion

Digital Journal ^ | Sunday Feb7 2010 10:19 AM MST | KJ Mullins

[malamute]

An explosion in Middletown, Connecticut has rocked the town. Initial reports are that about a dozen people have been injured.

Middletown, United States - The Middletown Fire Department just said in a phone interview that they are in the process of putting out a second alarm. There are an unknown number of casualities. The explosion took place at NRG Power Plant on River Road. According to their web site they are the fossil-fueled electric generating plant in the state. Reports are saying that the blast could be felt as far away as Durham.

[Man50D]

More likely Rt. 9, which passes through Middletown

So does I-91.

[John W]

I’ve done it all over 35 years. My only point is, if that report is true, someone chose today to test or start something new. They did not have to choose today.

[Neets]

No, we must blame terrorists, all the time for everything.

;-)

[Man50D]

You can't place too much faith in anonymously-sourced unconfirmed comments on the Internet, but some are claiming fatality figures that are extremely shocking...

I suspect feeling or hearing the blast also depends on the contour of the land. I didn't feel or hear a thing. I'm about 30 miles from Middletown

[Munz]

it rocked half the state.
“homes were shaken from their foundations”

felt from Brandford Clinton and Gilford.

People thought it was an earthquake.

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/middlesex_cty/middletown-power-plant-explosion

[Man50D]

it rocked half the state.

I wouldn't go that far.

[2nd amendment mama]

Why would they shut down I-91? Middletown is on Route 9 not 91.

[Gondring]

Do you or anyone know if the plant’s steel construction means better rubble conditions than if it were masonry?

[Man50D]

Why would they shut down I-91? Middletown is on Route 9 not 91.

I don't know they did shutdown I-91. I was presenting it as a a possibility. I-91 runs through Middletown. I know, I used to live in Middletown.

[Zeppo]

Channel 8 has a live report right now...

[gidget7]

For access! For emergency vehicles going to and from hospitals etc.

[Zeppo]

FWIW, from the live photos it does look like large sections of the siding of the plant (which appears to be of corrugated steel construction - but that is just a guess) have been ripped off...

[gidget7]

I never lived there, but do know the area quite well, and like you, I know the roads there. 9 can become quite congested quite quickly, would make it difficult to get surrounding towns emergency vehicles to a from the site. The whole area is town on top of town, only way to tell you have left one town and entered another, is road signs. It’s like a maze of towns all, extensions of Hartford.

[Gondring]

FR has gotten better with the Boy Crying Terrorist response.

[Man50D]

Channel 8 has a live report right now...

Wow! I'm watching live shots from channel 8. The walls of the building are shredded!

[Man50D]

I never lived there, but do know the area quite well, and like you, I know the roads there. 9 can become quite congested quite quickly, would make it difficult to get surrounding towns emergency vehicles to a from the site.

I imagine route 66 that goes across the Connecticut River is a massive traffic jam.

[2nd amendment mama]

Unless they moved I-91 or Middletown, I-91 does NOT run through Middletown.

Middletown, CT

[mainevet]

So you’re telling me that you have done at least one Combined Cycle Power Plant start up in the last 35 years.

[mainevet]

Have you seen the picture of the plant on Fox? I wonder if it is current or not. Seems the building skin is not on where the Gas Turbines are and is on where the Steamer would be. But there’s no smoke. I think it’s a file photo during previous time in construction. I should be napping now as I got to work tonight. Oh well, that will just make shutdown at 2300 and start up at 0400 a little more fun.

[Munz]

pretty much looked like that on a map the local news showed.