Petrol Escapes In Oil Company Storage Area

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29803, 21 April 1962, Page 12

Petrol Escapes In Oil Company Storage Area

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 20.

Thousands of gallons of petrol and water flowed into the compound of Shell Oil New Zealand, Ltd., at Gracefield today after a tank-draining valve had been accidentally left open.

The Petone and Lower Hutt fire brigades pumped 3000 gallons of foam over the area to counter any fire danger. There are no houses close to the installation. Police and traffic officers diverted cars and kept crowds back from what the Government chief inspector of explosives, Mr E. L. Sellens, described as “a hazard comparable with the Napier petrol flood of last year, although on a smaller scale.”

An officer, of the Lower Hutt brigade smelled petrol fumes as he was returning home at 11.45 a.m. The brigade turned out to the installation. where a pond of petrol and water, in places up to a foot deep, and covering two square chains, was found.

The fire officer estimated that about 10,000 gallons of petrol and water escaped. (This compares with the

60,000 gallons that escaped at Napier.) t \ The mixture was pumped into two mobile tankers. The Lower Hutt brigade was still mapping Up at 4.30 p.m. The near-by harbour was checked for pollution. Mr Seilens, who took vapour measurements, said there was no explosive vapour present other than a few inches rising above the compound. His measurements showed that the petrol fumes had an explosive content of onetenth of 1 per cent., far be. low the 11 per cent, needed to ignite them. “There was no risk of explosion.” he said. A company spokesman said a valve had been accidentally left open when water was being run off from the bottom of the tank. ‘‘We lost a few thousand gallons. It has been collected and is back in the tank.” he said.