Firefighters extinguish fire in PDVSA tank in Cabimas
The fire that started early Tuesday morning in a crude oil tank of Petróleos de Venezuela SA (Pdvsa) La Salina, in the Cabimas municipalityZulia state, It was extinguished after more than 24 hours of work.
The affected tank was completely consumed and little smoke was already recorded in the city this Wednesday, after the flames caused anxiety and alert in the surrounding areas.
Officials from the National Risk Management System were deployed since Tuesday in direct attention to the structure fire in the La Salina tank farms, which was caused by a lightning strike during a storm that hit the municipality of the Eastern Coast of Lake Maracaibo.
Users on social networks and emergency services shared images of the flames that affected the PDVSA facilities in Cabimas.
The storage tank that was on fire was 75,000 barrels, so the work to contain the flames was much more complicated, explained the commander of the Cabimas Fire Department, General Mufid Houmeidan.
They manage to control the tank that caught fire at PDVSA Las Salinas after lightning hit the cylinder with 40 thousand barrels.
There is little smoke in the city. PDVSA, on the other hand, assured that there are no third effects.
There was nothing left of the tank. https://t.co/KALhGqpaiy pic.twitter.com/nS1rJek8Ka
— Jhorman Cruz (@Jhormancruz1) October 16, 2024
At least 18 injured in the PDVSA tank fire in Cabimas
About 18 people were injured during the fire at the PDVSA facilities in Cabimasamong them firefighters, workers and neighbors, according to sources consulted by the Reuters news agency.
Firefighters worked throughout the day to control the flames, which generated a column of black smoke visible from a distance. The work included the use of foam to extinguish the fire.
“It is estimated that 18 people were injured, including Cabimas firefighters, PDVSA workers and also locals”a source close to the operation detailed to Reuters.
The Bajo Grande terminal, near La Salina and used by PDVSA and the American company Chevron to export crude oil and fuels, was not affected by the fire, other sources involved in the operations confirmed to the British news agency.
5.30am in the morning.
This is how the Pdvsa-La Saliina tank woke up in Cabimas this Wednesday, October 16.
The city is quiet but prepared for any emergency, many people say they have not slept peacefully. pic.twitter.com/5qe162qzhm
— adalgi davila (@daviladalgi) October 16, 2024
Independent journalism needs the support of its readers to continue and ensure that the uncomfortable news they don’t want you to read remains within your reach. Today, with your support, we will continue working hard for censorship-free journalism!