Shortly after midnight, many of us in the San Juan [Puerto Rico] metropolitan area were awakened by a huge explosion which shook the ground (at home, my windows rattled). In effect, the Gulf Oil Refinery, located at the northwestern outskirts of the capital city suffered explosions at several of its tanks.
The Caribbean Petroleum Refinery, as described in its website:
...is located in the Luchetti Industrial Park, in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The facility is approximately 10 minutes away from San Juan, the capital city of Puerto Rico, where 65% of all petroleum products are consumed. (...) The CPC refinery site encompasses approximately 115 developed acres. The facility is divided into a tank farm, a process area, administration area, and a wastewater treatment facility.
According to Bloomberg:
Firefighters are still fighting the blaze, the cause of which is still unknown, according to a spokeswoman for the local Guaynabo police force, who was speaking by telephone and asked to not be identified by name. She said the explosions happened at about 12:30 a.m. local time.
At least 11 tanks at the oil distribution center were ablaze, and firefighters were trying to prevent further explosions at 22 other tanks, local news service Noti Uno reported, citing police superintendent Jose Fugeroa Sancha.
CPC markets the Gulf brand on the island. The Bayamon facility, near the capital city of San Juan, can process 48,000 barrels of crude oil a day...
Firefighters from all over the island as well as police, local National Guard and the FBI have been mobilized to the area. Although terrorism is not suspected, there are reports of some sort of anonymous message having been received that "Gulf refinery rest in peace".
Bloomberg continues:
Diesel, gasoline, No. 6 heavy fuel oil and jet fuel are all stored at the tank farm, Ricardo Castrodad, a spokesman for the U.S. Coast Guard, said in a telephone interview. Puerto Rican authorities have requested assistance from hazardous materials specialists in the U.S., he said.
Vessels must receive special approval to travel in a mile- long safety zone established by set up by local authorities from the Punta Catano to the Puerto Nuevo Intership facility, according to Castrodad.
There is a temporary flight restriction up to 15,000 feet and about a mile wide over the fire, Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration in Atlanta, said in a telephone interview. "That’s not unusual in this type of disaster," she said.
Up to 300 people have been evacuated from the disaster area and we are quite lucky that the wind is coming from the southeast, therefore pushing the toxic cloud offshore and away from residential and land areas. If the wind changes, there could be danger to island residents from the intense particulate matter.
A amateur video of the aftermath of the explosion follows:
I will use this diary to update the news as the days progress. This will not be over for a couple of days, at least!
First Update- Eleven tanks still burning. Schools have been closed in the surrounding municipalities of Bayamon, Guaynabo, Cataño and others. Roads have been closed, including the heavily transited toll-road corridor leading West from San Juan. San Juan Bay has been closed down. It is reported mostly that gasoline is what is burning and that air support is being given to firefighters.
Second Update- Governor just gave a news conference [noon time]. He said that the fire is contained. Puerto Rico will not suffer a fuel shortage. The weather continues to be favorable to pushing the toxic cloud offshore. No more dramatic developments to report, fortunately. Here is a photo-gallery from one of our local newspapers.