- Cabimas firefighters have not been able to control the fire caused by the explosion
A second explosion was recorded on Tuesday, October 15, in the PetrĂłleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) Las Salinas storage tank yard, in Cabimas (Zulia). The incident occurred after a first explosion in the early morning caused by a lightning strike.
Although 14 hours have passed after the start of the fire, firefighters have not been able to put it out and remain at the scene, according to information published by journalist Jhorman Cruz at 6:30 pm.
Update (6:30 pm) | The tank at PDVSA Las Salinas de Cabimas is still on 14 hours later.
Firefighters from the city and the state company have worked for hours without success so far. However, they are still on the site.
Neighbors keep coming.
📸: José Serna https://t.co/AVxVOAKrNa pic.twitter.com/PSMeQdZMzU
— Jhorman Cruz (@Jhormancruz1) October 15, 2024
Colonel Mufid Houmeidan, commander of the Cabimas Fire Department, reported that the number of injured rose to 26.
“There was an overflow of the tank (boiling) that generated great radiation (heat wave). There are 22 people with minor burns and four with second-degree burns,” he reported in statements to journalist Madelyn Palmar published on X (formerly Twitter).
Houmeidan explained that the fire is in the containment section and inside the tank. For this reason, they assure that they will need more water and foam to suffocate it.
The first fire that occurred in the PDVSA tank
At 5:00 am on Tuesday, October 15, the Cabimas Firefighters had responded to a first PDVSA fire in the crude oil storage tank yard in the La Salina sector.
Houmeidan assured the regional press that the incident occurred due to a lightning strike on the tank, which caused the fire to spread quickly.
In a video published by journalist Jhorman Cruz on his X account, Houmeidan explained that the evacuation of the city due to the fire was not necessary.
Firefighters arrived around 6:10 am to address the situation, despite the rain that occurred in the area this Tuesday morning.
According to Cruz, the rainfall on the Eastern Coast of Lake Maracaibo was accompanied by thunder and lightning.
Fires in PDVSA so far in 2024
So far this year, several fires have been reported at different PDVSA facilities. One of the most recent occurred in July in a state gas pipeline in Anzoátegui.
According to the former Minister of the Interior, Remigio Ceballos, the incident would have been the product of sabotage and he assured that no injuries were reported.
On March 30, another fire broke out in the PDVSA tanks located in the Bachaquero sector of the Valmore RodrĂguez municipality, in Zulia. Fire Department officials worked to control the flames until April 1.
The authorities stated that the fire started in the weeds around the tanks, but then spread to the retaining wall of tank 19, which was full of oil.
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