Giant Oil Fire on Staten Island

[Ned]

Tune in CNN now. There is a gigantic oil file on Stanton Island. Flames are reaching 1000 feet into the air. The fire start about a half an hour ago. It is now 7:42 a.m. Pacific.

[Eli]

Yikes. Any residential neighborhoods nearby?

[Urban Ranger]

On the BBC it's saying that a barge carrying propane exploded.

[Boris Godunov]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41213-2003Feb21.html

NEW YORK — An explosion rocked an oil refinery on the edge of Staten Island, sending black smoke and flames hundreds of feet into the air.

It wasn’t immediately clear what exploded or whether any of the dozens of oil tanks in the area were burning.

The explosion, which could be heard several miles away, occurred at the edge of Port Mobile, near the Outerbridge Crossing that links the island to Woodbridge, N.J., in the southwestern part of Staten Island, said a spokeswoman for the Staten Island borough office.

It was reported shortly after 10 a.m., according to a spokeswoman for the New York Fire Department. No further information was immediately available.

[Urban Ranger]

Lastest from BBC:

The blast occurred around 1010 local time, and that a barge refueling somehow caught fire, causing this whole thing.

[Alex]

It was probably an accident.

Explosion and Fire Off New York Oil Terminal
Fri February 21, 2003 10:59 AM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A fuel barge caught fire near an oil storage terminal off New York's Staten Island on Friday, but the immediate cause of the blaze was not known, fire officials said.
Law enforcement officials said there were no initial indications that it was anything other than an accident.

U.S. Coast Guard officials said the facility was owned by Exxon Mobil, the world's largest oil company.

Initial reports from fire officials described the barge as carrying propane.

Residents of the New York borough and nearby towns in New Jersey said they heard an explosion and felt the ground and houses shake.

"A barge was being refueled and it somehow caught fire," Fire Chief William Van Ward of the New York Fire Department said on local WNBC-TV.

The explosion and fire, in the waterway known as Arthur Kill between Staten Island and New Jersey, sent huge clouds of black smoke and flames into the sky that could be seen from Manhattan.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or on the extent of the damage, officials said.

"There was a loud explosion like something fell on our house," Reuters reporter Rene Pastor said from Perth Amboy, New Jersey. "We rushed out and saw thick black smoke in the air, with flames shooting up into the sky."

[MRT144]

dont you know when the minds of jimmytrick and ned get into action, its always so vast anti american terrorist action.

[Ned]

Originally posted by MRT144
dont you know when the minds of jimmytrick and ned get into action, its always so vast anti american terrorist action.

You didn't read anything like that in my post, did you?

[MRT144]

i was waiting for a second post to allude to something like that. i know if jimmytrick had caught wind of this first you could garuntee a result like that. but alas youre not as bad as him when jumping the "everything is a conspiracy/terrorist action" gun. you live in california for gods sake, that has to help somewhat.

btw how is the weather down in aptos today?

[Sava]

sorry Ned but MRT's right

[Boris Godunov]

jimmytrick has been scarce ever since he was called on his BS in the multiple partner sex thread...

It's too hazy to see anything from Manhattan. If it were clear, I wonder if we'd be able to see the smoke from here.

[The Mad Monk]

I'm going to try and put some vidcaps up.

I've got to stop going to bed at 10:00 am -- it's just bad luck.

[The Mad Monk]

1:

[The Mad Monk]

Well, whaddaya know -- it worked!

[MRT144]

ok, sorry to go off topic but a. mad monk, you go to bed at 10 am too? and b. you have an ABC affiliate thats also channel 7? BIZARRE!

anyways keep those vidcaps coming