BREAKING NEWS - MASSIVE EXPLOSION AND FIRE - NJ [Actually, Staten Island NY: AM]

ME | 2/21/03 | SELF

[LonePalm]

I just turned and looked out my office window and saw a column of black smoke rising towards Union Beach/Perth Amboy NJ.

I then felt the force of an explosion rattle my window.

[Prince Charles]

Last Monday there was a large fire at the Amoco refinery in Whiting, Indiana (near Chicago). Today a refinery burns in NY. Is there a pattern here?

[SarahW]

The mullah was raving, hysterical. I couldn't believe my eyes.

[steveegg]

That's what FNC and I get for trusting Reuters. I should've known better.

There are no injuries reported so far. I would expect that to change, though.

[mware]

Prayers being sent to members of USCG fighting this fire.

[NittanyLion]

And remember they also hit that French tanker the Limbourg.

Yep. Here's an article.

[Sally II]

thanks for that list of streaming news stations... out here in California, the three major networks still haven't mentioned the fire.

[mhking]

Live Stream: WCBS-TV
CNN Affiliate Feed/IBSYS Web Sites

[js1138]

When the terrorists actually strike, i.e. here and in Isreal, does it ever look like like it could possibly be confused with an industrial accident? - or aren't they pretty obvious?

That's my point. There are lots of industrial accidents of various sizes. Why would terrorists do something that could be confused with an industrial accident? Kind of defeats the purpose.

[michigander]

[CanisLupus]

Nice view from Elizabeth

[mabelkitty]

Remember last week during Valentine's Day there was a small boat floating around the Golden Gate Bridge and the cops were investingating it? The boat just disappeared and nobody knew what happened.

Now we may have figured it out!

[cgk]

I had the same reaction. I was walking through the room and stopped, trying to figure out what it was - or WHEN it was. I was thinking it was a live feed, with the terror arrests yestrday fresh in my mind. It was terrifying, even though it was on "TV". I couldn't believe (though I am not surprised by much anymore) the pitch was absolutely reminiscent of Hitler.

[Sicon]

It seems quite unlikely that we're looking at terrorism here. Terrorists want large numbers of casualties, much more than structural damage, so blowing up an oil refinery is not really their style.

There are reports that the fire broke out on a barge that was refueling at the refinery. I'm betting that this was an accident, just like the fire in Rhode Island.

[Solamente]

"Verrazzano Narrows Bridge still closed."

IT IS OPEN AND THERE IS TRAFFIC. Mark the time of my post. I'm looking out my window at the bridge!

[Unknown Freeper]

I'm near the Watchung Mountains. I can see the smoke from the window here at work. Please keep those reports coming.

[aristeides]

German sabotage was behind the Black Tom explosion of 1916 in Bayonne, NJ.

[arm958]

Last Monday there was a large fire at the Amoco refinery in Whiting, Indiana (near Chicago). Today a refinery burns in NY. Is there a pattern here?

Yep, they're both refineries.

[RummyChick]

I can't figure out why they would do it. Unless the hope would be that it would spread on to the Island.

Maybe just to terrorize us and cost us money but it appears just to be an accident.

[StriperSniper]

That should be repeated hourly on every channel.