VARIOUS SHOTS OF FIRE; FIREMEN; EQUIPMENT ARRIVING; MAN WORKING PUMP; FIREMEN AND FLAMES.




Initials JSU/V/RM/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: FIREMEN TODAY (SUNDAY) BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL THE BLAZE IN A 7,000-TON TANK OF AIRCRAFT FUEL IN ROTTERDAM AFTER FIGHTING IT FOR NEARLY 24 HOURS.

THE SMOTHERED THE TANK, WHICH ORIGINALLY CONTAINED 4,500,000 LITRES (ABOUT ONE MILLION GALLONS) OF KEROSENE, WITH FOAM AND BEGAN PUMPING OUT THE REMAINING FUEL.

FIREMEN FOUGHT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT TO PREVENT THE FIRE FROM SPREADING THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRIAL AREA IN WHICH THE STORAGE TANKS WERE SITUATED.

THE FLAMES AT ONE TIME THREATENED TO JUMP TO NEARBY TANKS OF POISONOUS ACRYLNYTRYL, A HIGHLY INFLAMMABLE MATERIAL.

THE BLAZE FLARED UP YESTERDAY AFTERNOON (SATURDAY) AFTER AN EXPLOSION ON THE SITE BELONGING TO THE TRANSIT COMPANY OF PAKHUIS MEESTEREN.

EYEWITNESSES SAID THE FLAMES WERE STILL LEAPING HIGH INTO THE SKY THREE HOURS AFTER THE EXPLOSION. CLOUDS OF SMOKE BELCHED FROM THE TANKS.

IT WAS FIRST FEARED THAT IT MIGHT TAKE DAYS TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.