[Dog Gone]

Refineries tend to blow themselves up. I wouldn't assume an outside factor yet.

[PhiKapMom]

Fire is at the refinery on Staten Island.

[JasonC]

That's true. But they are also an obvious sabotage target just now. Fits the Iraqi propaganda line etc. Remain skeptical, yes - accident is the most likely explanation - but these things deserve much harder looks at this particular moment.

[Travis McGee]

I'm jumping into this late, excuse me if this has been covered.

This type of scenario as a terrorist attack has been a huge worry since 9-11. All ships coming into the USA are now boarded by armed coasties etc. to prevent their being turned into huge guided bombs.

A weak link in this security is barge and river transportation, where one or two jerks with pistols could hijack a tug and send a PLO barge into a refinery.

Just saying, don't rule it out yet.

[A2J]

Refineries tend to blow themselves up. I wouldn't assume an outside factor yet.

Especially in the cold.

On Christmas Eve in the late 80's, an Exxon refinery experienced a huge explosion in Baton Rouge. It shook the house we were in.