Caribbean Petroleum Explosion Case Study

摘要

A vapor cloud explosion (VCE) occurred at the Caribbean Petroleum Corporation (CAPECO) site in Bayamon, Puerto Rico on October 23, 2009. An above-ground gasoline storage tank was being loaded with gasoline from a cargo ship shortly before the incident. Overfilling of the tank resulted in gasoline discharge through elevated tank vents and formation of a very large vapor-mist cloud, which extended off the plant site into surrounding areas covered with heavy vegetation. The resulting VCE caused blast damage to both on-site and off-site structures. Fires were ignited in 20 storage tanks within the tank farm, which burned for several days. There were several minor injuries and no fatalities from this accident.