Fire on a petrochemical site: a “malicious act”? – Point

The fire that broke out Tuesday morning on the petrochemical site LyondellBasell Berre-l’Étang (Bouches-du-Rhône) has been turned off in the late morning, told AFP at the Prefecture. The investigators emphasize the thesis of a “malicious act”. “A malicious act is a serious hypothesis,” said a source close to the matter told AFP. “According to the first elements of the investigation, the probability that the two fires of remote tanks of 500 m can be accidental is very low. Investigators favor the theory of a voluntary act, “said another source close to the investigation. According to Deputy Prosecutor Rémy Avon, the prosecution of Aix-en-Provence has opened an investigation for “destruction by fire”.

Around 3 am, two explosions were heard on this site located near the pond Berre and Marseille-Marignane Airport. “Two tanks, 500 meters apart from each other and filled with chemicals, are affected,” said a source close to the investigation. Approaching the site, there are a burning tank which emerges a big black smoke, said a journalist from AFP. “No injuries were reported,” according to the prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône.

A “preventive dam”

The fire broke out “on the site petrochemical LyondellBasell Berre-l’Étang in two storage tanks, “said the prefecture in a statement, adding that firefighters Site has been reinforced by a device” a hundred firefighters and twenty specialized vehicles “CoDis 13.” The first tank containing gasoline, is now endangered. The second tank containing naphtha is timing phase with spray foam to smother the fire, “detailed the prefecture.

Also, a” preventive dam “was installed on the Etang de Berre near the site, to prevent pollution, especially by the “fire water”. A “smoke plume [goes] to the surrounding municipalities,” said the prefecture still without specifying the possible toxicity of the fumes. “At this point, no impact on air traffic is to be deplored,” said the prefecture.