VENEZUELA: Residents frantically prepare to leave homes deemed too close to refinery fire.

Record ID: 359473

  • Title: VENEZUELA: Residents frantically prepare to leave homes deemed too close to refinery fire.
  • Date: 25th August 2012
  • Summary: LITTLE GIRL EATING IN A CHAIR OUTSIDE HER HOME AS THE REFINERY FIRE RAGES NEARBY
  • Embargoed: 9th September 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Disasters,Environment,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVAEN6LFFOGF3ZWAO49H1NURWFNO
  • Story Text: Fearful neighbors pack to leave their homes which are situated directly next door to the oil refinery which exploded earlier in the day. Many say they have yet to be contacted by the government run oil company PDVSA regarding their precarious living conditions.

    Residents of the neighborhood of Punto Fijo, directly adjacent to a massive oil refinery fire which exploded earlier in the day, are worried about what, if anything the government of Venezuela will do to help them Saturday (August 25).
    More than 50 people were reportedly wounded in the massive blast, with many rushed to hospital suffering from serious burns from the explosion of storage tanks at the 645,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) facility.
    The force of the blast, triggered by a gas leak, damaged nearby homes with officials saying a 10-year-old child was among the dead.
    Mothers clutching their babies gather and talk amongst themselves about their very limited options and their very real fears.
    "PDVSA (Venezuelan government run oil company) should buy all of these houses and get us out of this community because we are at a very high risk here," said Nelly Da Lugo a resident who is worried about her home and family. "We are the most affected in this community not only because of the gases but also all the other things the refinery throws out."
    Down the street Mr. Luis Fuentes is packing his car to take members of his family to a safer place after the refinery explosion shattered glass and opened a hole in this homes ceiling.
    "I am going to take my wife and my sister in law to my mother in law's house then I have to come back here because I have to take care because there is a lot of crime and they will leave you with nothing," he said.
    Thus far 26 people have been confirmed dead with the majority of those killed members of National Guard troops who were providing security for the refinery.
    The deadly explosion follows a series of accidents to afflict state oil company PDVSA over the last decade, promoting critics to accuse Chavez's government of mismanagement.
    In 2010, there was a massive fire at a PDVSA fuel terminal on the Caribbean island of Bonaire, then a blaze at a dock at the Paraguana complex that halted shipping for four days.
    Also in 2010, a natural gas exploration rig, the Aban Pearl, sank in the Caribbean. All 95 workers were rescued safely.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains identifiable children: users must ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations governing the publishing of this material.
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