A second explosion in the oil tank caught fire due to a lightning strike, 21 people were injured in the afternoon of October 15, according to Mufid Houmeidan, commander of the Cabimas Fire Department.
Almost ten hours after the fire started, “a phenomenon occurred that is typical in these tanks when they cannot be put out in time. This tank, I repeat, had water at the bottom that reached 100 degrees Celsius and when it evaporated quickly it released the energy, launching all the crude oil that was above, as if it were an erupting volcano; This phenomenon is explained by the overflow of a boiling liquid,” explained Houmeidan, who is in charge of operations at the site.
When the tank was warning that it was going to explode due to the effect described, “we ran and took out all the people who were there.”
Neighbors of the Campo Blanco Urbanization, adjacent to the La Salina Tank Yard, reported that the explosion removed roofs, doors and windows.
“The phenomenon was so strong that it affected 21 civilians, most of whom were treated at the site and some were transferred to the PDVSA Clinic,” highlighted the Chief of the Cabimas Firefighters.
The injured had first and second degree burns, according to the first reports.
The column of fire and smoke over the oil city still continues. The fire has not yet been controlled and authorities activated safety protocols to continue fighting the flames and their effects on the community.
