Raging oil pipeline fires in Dalian extinguished after 15 hours

• Source: Xinhua
• [14:29 July 17 2010]
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An explosion hit an oil pipeline of 0.9 meter in diameter at 6 p.m. Friday and triggered an adjacent smaller pipeline to explode near Dalian's Xingang Harbor.

Both pipelines, owned by China National Petroleum Corp., caught fire. The blaze of the larger pipeline was extinguished around midnight, but at least five subsequent explosions worsened the fire on the smaller pipeline.

A spokesman with the Dalian fire brigade said earlier it was too difficult for workers to switch off the oil pump on the smaller pipeline because of mechanical failures caused by the fire, and oil spills exacerbated the fire situation.

Firefighters had to switch it off by hand, which took much longer time, the spokesman said.

As of 9 a.m., the fire was under control but sporadic sparks were still seen at the site, he said.

The accident happened after a 300,000 tonne oil ship uploaded oil in the harbor. The tanker left the harbor safely.

The pipelines were links between oil ships and oil tanks on land.