Free Republic

PORT DARLINGTON, Ont. (CP) - Explosions that sent debris into the air "like rockets" and a blaze at what was believed to be a propane company forced the evacuation of about 5,000 people late Tuesday, police said. The fire near the waterfront in the community east of Toronto could be seen for miles and the explosions rocked homes in the area. "I opened the blinds and there was this explosion, at least eight or nine storeys into the sky of light and fire," a woman named Heather reported. "Then we just started hearing the explosions of the propane tanks every...

Propane thefts get FBI attention Chicago Sun-Times 3/19/03 The theft of propane tanks from Chicago area businesses probably would not have prompted police departments to call the FBI in the days before the Sept. 11 attacks. But with war looming and the nation on alert for terrorism, several suburban agencies decided federal authorities needed to know. Dozens of the tanks have disappeared from businesses in Burbank, Evanston and Oak Lawn over the last month or so. The Burbank theft may have been the most intriguing to police: Eight tanks were stolen from a convenience store where Nabil al-Marabh was arrested...