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Originally Posted by likwid
Fox 12 reporting on it, nothing on the web yet.
Believed to be lightning caused. |
Blaze erupts at fuel storage area
01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, July 19, 2006
By STEVE PEOPLES
projo.com Staff Writer
PROVIDENCE -- A dramatic fire lit up the Port of Providence waterfront late last night after a blaze erupted at a fuel storage and unloading facility at 500 Allens Avenue .
The massive fire did not spread to the adjacent 600-foot tanker, which was unloading gasoline at the time. The boat crew was able to maneuver the huge ship away from the blaze, which was started by a lightning strike at about 10:40 p.m., according to Paul A. Doughty president of the Providence Firefighters Union.
They got it away from the dock they cut the ropes that attach to the dock they had to do it themselves, Doughty said of the boat crew that was forced to act before the Coast Guard arrived. Theyre carrying a giant gasoline bomb. If that ship catches fire no one will ever put it out.
City and fire officials immediately reported no injuries to the crew working at the port at the time, or to any emergency personnel on the scene.
More than 60 firefighters from Providence , an airport crew, and teams from around the state were brought in to battle the blaze. And at least three foam task forces were brought in from other parts of the state, as well, Doughty said.
Because flammable liquids like gasoline float on top of water, fire crews required foam to suffocate the fire, Doughty said.
A Liquified Natural Gas storage tank was roughly a half mile away from the scene of the fire, Doughty said.
This is an example of how dangerous the port can be, he said.