FIRE SCENES.




Initials JP/V/MR/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: TWO PEOPLE DIED AND MORE THAN 70 WERE INJURED IN A HUGH EXPLOSION AND FIRE AT THE MASSIVE SHELL OIL REFINERY IN ROTTERDAM TODAY (SATURDAY). THE BLAST COMPLETELY WIPED OUT AN AREA 250 BY METRES (ABOUT 750 BY 750 FEET). THE AREA IN THE HEART OF THE REFINERY LOOKED AS IF IT HAD BEEN BOMBED AS SMASHED TANKS AND TWISTED PIPELINES LITTERED THE SITE.

FLAMES FROM THE REFINERY - ONE OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST - SHOT 350 FEET (120 METRES) INTO THE AIR AFTER THE BLAST IN THE GIANT EUROPORT COMPLEX. AT ONE STAGE, THE FIRE WAS RAGING IN FOUR INSTALLATIONS AND 15 TANKS IN THE COMPLEX. HUNDREDS OF FIREMEN FROM ROTTERDAM AND NEARBY TOWNS FOUGHT THE FIRE AND LATE TODAY, THEY SAID IT HAD BEEN STOPPED FROM SPREADING.

THE EXPLOSION STARTED IN AN AREA CONTAINING TWO PARAFIN WAX CRACKING PLANTS AND AN ATHYLENE PLANT. THERE WERE ABOUT 600 MEN ON THE SITE AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION.