In December 2005, fire and explosion at Buncefield oil storage depot injured 40 people. Overfilling of a fuel storage tank (Tank 912) led to release of unleaded gasoline (petrol) which formed a cloud of flammable vapor that subsequently ignited.
Puerto Rico Fire
Four years after Buncefield, around midnight on October 23, 2009, a major fire was reported at the Caribbean Petroleum Corporation (CBC) oil depot in San Juan Bay, Puerto Rico. The initial fire destroyed eleven storage tanks at the facility and the fire spread to adjacent tanks. The explosion was heard 5-miles away. The tanks contained jet fuel, oil, and bunker fuel.
Click here for further details on CBC fire and explosion.
Jaipur Fire
Exactly a week after the San Juan fire on October 29, a fire broke out at Indian Oil Company (IOCL) storage depot in Jaipur, India. Six people have been killed and 150 are reported injured. The fire lasted for around six days and neighboring residents are complaining of health problems. IOCL is facing negligence charges.
Click here for further details on Jaipue fire and explosion.
Fires in Storage Facilities
It is worth nothing that all the above three major incidents (Buncefield, San Juan, and Jaipur) occurred in a matter of four years at liquid hydrocarbon storage facilities .
Why does history repeat itself…and in such a short time?
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