MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd December, 2022) Colombian rescuers and the military are pulled to the port of Compas in the city of Barranquilla to extinguish a fire that broke out at an oil storage facility after an explosion, local fire service said on Wednesday.
"Nine vehicles of the Barranquilla Fire Department are extinguishing a fire at a fuel company, with personnel from the Interior Ministry and (the National Unit for) Disaster Risk Management working at the scene. We regret to inform about the death of Sgt. Javier Enrique Solano Ruiz during this emergency," the department said on Twitter.
The city government announced the establishment of a coordination headquarters and the involvement of the river firefighting fleet to cool the oil tanks to prevent further explosions.
Barranquilla Mayor Jaime Pumarejo said that the prevention of ignition of the two remaining oil tanks was the main goal of the firefighters, adding that it has not been possible to bring the fire under control so far. The security zone around the storage has been expanded to 800 meters (2,624 feet).
The local interior ministry said that experts from the United States will arrive in the region to help coordinate the extinguishing of the fire.
Local authorities urged residents to use masks and respirators, close windows, and take care of pets as combustion products enter the atmosphere and are being carried by strong changing winds over long distances.
