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A short while ago a number of photo's turned up on facebook along with details (still thin right now) of an evacuation being carried out at PDO's Mina al Fahal facility and the Orpic refinery due to a fire in the Orpic refinery. I've shared the photo's here, but if you took one of them and don't want it here - please just drop me an email and I'll take them down.
Not a lot of details yet on what caused the fire, but in the same vein, PDO did confirm that the mystery oil on the beaches between Damaniyat islands and Seifa are not due to their tankering operations off of Mina al Fahal.
The Public Authority for Civil Defense & Ambulance just tweeted that there have been 3 people injured with "medium injuries" and are being transferred to hospital. Also that the ambulance and fire services from Wattayah, Azaiba & Darsait have reported to the fire... so a 3 alarm fire so far.
Traffic in and out of PDO area / Qurum is extremely heavy and nearly gridlocked at the moment... so avoid the area.
Update: 3:45pm - Orpic posted this on their facebook page:
EMERGENCY RESPONSE MESSAGE
At 15:00 on 4 December the Orpic Mina Al Fahal Refinery reported a fire and an explosion which started in the Gas Treatment Unit, the cause of the explosion is not yet known. There has been 3 contractor causalities from site (one minor and two being treated in hospital). Control of the situation yet to be communicated.
Further to this PACDA tweeted that only the Orpic Mina Al Fahal refinery (and all associated offices, including PDO I think) have been evacuated. Surrounding areas are not at risk (except traffic!). They've also tweeted that the fire is now under control.
le fin.
Fire at PDO / Orpic refinery in Mina al Fahal
Reviewed by Sythe
on
Thursday, December 04, 2014
Rating:
Reviewed by Sythe
on
Thursday, December 04, 2014
Rating:
I can only shudder to think about what would have happened had a serious incident taken place.
ReplyDeleteThe resulting chaos prevented fire tenders from the Civil Service emergency vehicles gaining access to the site.
Whoever is in charge of fire safety and the emergency plan on site needs to take a long hard look at what transpired.
Are there international response time standards for the oil and gas industry?
Why were the Civil Service needed there?
It would appear that their in-house contingency for fire management is lacking.
Same with the airport. I always wonder how many people are at risk when it comes to getting ambulances into a crash site to deal with the wounded.
Ever see how much respect an ambulance gets from drivers in Oman? See it battling through the traffic while some moron using his phone is oblivious to the siren and flashing lights?
Anyone know why the bomb squad was out at the electrical substation across the road from Oman Air head office yesterday?
ReplyDeleteRobots and the big bomb suit. Looked like they meant business.
I hope they are ok....
ReplyDeleteEither training or an actual threat? I remember being in school in the past and someone decided to prank call them by sending a bomb threat and that's when the school was evacuated. This was many years ago. Plus Oman increased its "security operations" in recent times with American cooperation and others.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how long the middle east can balance itself on a pogo stick
ReplyDelete