Towering columns of fire have engulfed a crucial Australian oil refinery after a chain of explosions, authorities said Thursday as they warned of disruptions to domestic fuel supply.
Flames as tall as 60 metres (200 feet) erupted late Wednesday night after a gas leak caught fire at the Viva fuel plant in Victoria state, firefighters said, one of only two working oil refineries in Australia.
kAmQ%96 >2;@C :>A24E 2E E9:D A@:?E 2AA62CD E@ 36 @? A6EC@= AC@5F4E:@?[Q t?6C8J |:?:DE6C r9C:D q@H6? D2:5]k^Am
kAmQxEVD ?@E 8C62E] xEVD ?@E 8C62E E:>:?8[ :D :EnQ 96 E@=5 ?2E:@?2= 3C@2542DE6C pqr]k^Am
kAm%96 C67:?6CJ[ 23@FE 2? 9@FCVD 5C:G6 D@FE9H6DE @7 DE2E6 42A:E2= |6=3@FC?6[ AF>AD @FE 23@FE `_ A6C46?E @7 pFDEC2=:2VD 7F6=[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 6?6C8J 4@>A2?J ':G2]k^Am
kAmxE :D 42A23=6 @7 AC@5F4:?8 FA E@ `a_[___ 32CC6=D @7 @:= 6249 52J[ 4@>A2?J 7:8FC6D DE2E65]Â k^Am
kAm%96 7:C6 C:AA65 E9C@F89 2 D64E:@? @7 E96 C67:?6CJ C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C E96 AC@5F4E:@? @7 9:89\@4E2?6 A6EC@=[ q@H6? D2:5]Â k^Am
kAmqJ EC:886C:?8 :D@=2E:@? G2=G6D[ @E96C A2CED @7 E96 A=2?E AC@5F4:?8 ;6E 7F6= 2?5 5:6D6= 925 366? DA2C65 E96 H@CDE @7 E96 3=2K6]Â k^Am
kAmx>286D E2<6? %9FCD52J >@C?:?8 D9@H65 E9:4< 4=@F5D @7 D>@<6 3:==@H:?8 @G6C E96 :?5FDEC:2= 4@>A=6I]Â k^Am
kAmv6@8C2A9:42==J :D@=2E65 2?5 H:E9 @?=J EH@ @:= C67:?6C:6D[ pFDEC2=:2 :D 962G:=J 6IA@D65 E@ 5:DCFAE:@?D :? 8=@32= 7F6= DFAA=J 2?5 :>A@CED >@DE @7 :ED A6EC@=]Â k^Am
kAmq@H6? FC865 pFDEC2=:2?D E@ :8?@C6 E96 :>AF=D6 E@ CFD9 @FE 2?5 A2?:4 3FJ >@C6 7F6=]Â k^Am
kAmQxEVD :>A@CE2?E E92E A6@A=6 3FJ 2D >F49 7F6= 2D E96J ?665] qFE ?@ >@C6[ ?@ =6DD]QÂ k^Am
k9am\ Vu6C@4:@FDV \k^9am
kAmx?4:56?E 4@?EC@==6C |2C< |4vF:??6DD D2:5 2 QD:8?:7:42?E =62<Q @7 9:89=J 7=2>>23=6 82D6D 2?5 =:BF:5 9J5C@42C3@?D 925 EC:886C65 E96 :?76C?@]Â k^Am
kAmQ%96 7:C6 92D 4@?E:?F65 E@ 3FC? @G6C?:89E 2?5 :D DE:== 3FC?:?8 2E E96 >@>6?E[Q 96 E@=5 C6A@CE6CD]Â k^Am
kAmQxE H2D BF:E6 76C@4:@FD] xE H6?E 7C@> 2 D>2== 7:C6 E9C@F89 D6G6C2= 6IA=@D:@?D E@ 2 =2C86[ :?E6?D6 7:C6]QÂ k^Am
kAmxE H@F=5 3FC? 7@C 2E =62DE 2?@E96C Q7@FC E@ 7:G6 9@FCDQ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmpFDEC2=:2 9@=5D C@F89=J bg 52JDV H@CE9 @7 A6EC@= :? C6D6CG6[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 8@G6C?>6?E 7:8FC6D[ 72C 36=@H E96 h_\52J >:?:>F> 5:4E2E65 3J E96 x?E6C?2E:@?2= t?6C8J p86?4J]Â k^Am
kAm(9:=6 E96 8@G6C?>6?E 92D D@ 72C C6D:DE65 >@G6D E@ C2E:@? 7F6=[ :E 92D FC865 5C:G6CD E@ 4@?D6CG6 A6EC@= H96C6 E96J 42? 2?5 E@ 72G@FC AF3=:4 EC2?DA@CE :7 A@DD:3=6]k^Am
kAm{:<6 >@DE ?2E:@?D :? pD:2 2?5 E96 $@FE9 !24:7:4[ pFDEC2=:2 :D 962G:=J C6=:2?E @? @:= D9:AA65 E9C@F89 E96 $EC2:E @7 w@C>FK[ H9:49 2E @?6 A@:?E 42CC:65 @?6\7:7E9 @7 E96 H@C=5VD @:= 2?5 82D]k^Am
kAm$9:AA:?8 EC277:4 E9C@F89 E96 G:E2= H2E6CH2J 92D 6DD6?E:2==J 462D65 D:?46 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 2?5 xDC26= =2F?4965 DEC:<6D 282:?DE xC2? @? u63CF2CJ ag]k^Am
kAm36D\D7E^@9@^E4k^Am