Fuel Storage Tank Fire Near Brazil’s Santos Port Enters 4th Day

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 5 (Reuters) – A hearth at a gas storage facility close to Brazil’s largest port Santos entered its fourth day on Sunday as 110 firefighters labored to cease the flames from spreading additional, the native hearth division stated.

Six gas tanks run by Ultracargo, owned by Brazil’s Grupo Ultra, have been hit because the blaze began on Thursday morning, sending a column of thick black smoke into the air. Two of them have been nonetheless burning late on Sunday, the hearth division and Ultracargo stated.

Firefighters stated there was little they may do to extinguish the flames earlier than a lot of the gas was consumed. Instead, they have been specializing in dousing close by tanks to maintain the hearth from spreading.

Traffic was diverted across the website of the blaze, blocking one of many roads to the port.

Trucks carrying soybeans and different commodities have been nonetheless capable of ship their items by way of a second entrance, a spokeswoman for the Santos port stated. She added that solely two of the port’s docks have been out of service as a result of hearth, whereas the opposite 53 have been working usually. (Reporting by Walter Brandimarte)