Connacher Oil & Gas Ltd CLLZF

Huge south africa refinery fire

[boomtown1]

updated 3 hours, 57 minutes ago Share this on: Digg Facebook del.icio.us reddit StumbleUpon Huge fire at South African refineryStory Highlights Fire believed to have been caused by lightning Thick column of black smoke over the South African city of Durban Nearly $18 million worth of fuel burned Next Article in World » Read VIDEO (CNN) -- A refinery fire believed to have been caused by lightning spread a thick column of black smoke over the South African city of Durban, burning nearly $18 million worth of fuel, the refinery's spokesman said Tuesday. In an interview with the South African Press Agency, spokesman Herb Payne said the 45-meter-high (147-foot-high) tank contained 7.5 million liters (1.65 million gallons) of fuel. He said management estimated 120 million Rand ($17.9 million) worth of fuel "went up in smoke," SAPA reported. The fire started Monday evening during bad weather and created large amounts of black smoke which spread north in the wind, SAPA reported. Police advised nearby residents to stay indoors. Payne said the fire had a minimal impact on production and that there was no impact on fuel supply to drivers. Early Tuesday, refinery workers began pumping fuel out of the burning tank in an effort to douse the fire, SAPA reported. "They are trying to pump as much petrol out as possible, while allowing the remainder to burn out," Payne said. Officials at nearby Durban International Airport said planes were landing as normal, SAPA reported. E-mail to a friend