Port of Providence Fire

[Cotuit]

None of the news services really have anything up right now to link to, but I'm sure we'll be discussing this in the morning.

Channel 6 has video online.

[Cotuit]

I worked at Motiva as a temp for a few weeks when I first moved here. I'm laughing at Patrice Wood on Channel 10 insist that they supply home heating oil to the Northeast. They provide most of the gasoline for Southeast New England Shell stations from this location. My job there as a temp was tracking permits for all the gas stations in the various towns in eastern CT, RI, and southeastern Mass.

[Carter711]

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20...9x.1e09a91.html

Maybe this will 'spark' up talk about redeveloping some of the industrial areas down there.

[phantombantam]

I believe I actually saw the bolt of lightening that caused the fire from my kitchen window. I'm sure If I had looked again I would have seen plumes of smoke. Did anyone here get to see the flames?

[Johnzo]

I worked at Motiva as a temp for a few weeks when I first moved here. I'm laughing at Patrice Wood on Channel 10 insist that they supply home heating oil to the Northeast. They provide most of the gasoline for Southeast New England Shell stations from this location. My job there as a temp was tracking permits for all the gas stations in the various towns in eastern CT, RI, and southeastern Mass.

You certainly know your stuff. I have relatives who work in that field, and am also very familiar with the industry.

I was laughing too, when channel 12 showed the location of the terminal, they were showing the wrong terminal. People know very little about what goes on in the port.

Maybe this will 'spark' up talk about redeveloping some of the industrial areas down there.

Oh, I'm sure it will. I can hear people already, "waah, waah, this is why they should've let Buddy close down the port & build yahct clubs..."

I wouldn't be surprised if this re-sparked the LNG debate, even though LNG is entirely different from this.

Kudos to the Providence Fire Dept, and everyone else who came in and brought this under control so effectively.

[Cotuit]

Did anyone here get to see the flames?

I could see the sky glowing orange from Federal Hill, and getting brighter as various things ignited. It's amazing that PFD got it under control so quick.

Maybe this will 'spark' up talk about redeveloping some of the industrial areas down there.

I think everything from Motiva south (basically the overpass at the Thurbers exit south) should remain pretty much as is. Just some asthetic improvements at the street, so the port operations can continue, but people can feel that they aren't travelling through an industrial wasteland on their way south. North of there, at Providence Piers I'd like to see some redevelopment, but I think a lot of the industry can remain and mix in with other light industry, office, and limited retail/residential.

[BBascule]

I could see the sky glowing orange from Federal Hill, and getting brighter as various things ignited. It's amazing that PFD got it under control so quick.

I think everything from Motiva south (basically the overpass at the Thurbers exit south) should remain pretty much as is. Just some asthetic improvements at the street, so the port operations can continue, but people can feel that they aren't travelling through an industrial wasteland on their way south. North of there, at Providence Piers I'd like to see some redevelopment, but I think a lot of the industry can remain and mix in with other light industry, office, and limited retail/residential.

This answers the question I posted in another thread (which should be deleted. sorry Cotuit):

This is going to sound crazy, but did anyone else in South PVD/Cranston see a bright blue glow lingering at ground level during last night's storm?

[Johnzo]

I think everything from Motiva south (basically the overpass at the Thurbers exit south) should remain pretty much as is. Just some asthetic improvements at the street, so the port operations can continue, but people can feel that they aren't travelling through an industrial wasteland on their way south. North of there, at Providence Piers I'd like to see some redevelopment, but I think a lot of the industry can remain and mix in with other light industry, office, and limited retail/residential.

What do you think should be done with the heavy industry north of Thurbers (i.e. the oil terminal, shipyard, and asphalt plant)?

I'm torn on this. Part of me says to leave the whole area industrial, after all, sea trade was a major factor in building this city. Yet, part of me says to move the port operations to Quonset, and let the dense urban development take place in the city. A quonset move could benefit the port as well. It would allow the port to expand, it would make the trip up the bay shorter for tankers, and it would allow trucks to access the area without having to deal with driving in the city.

[KBagley]

Did anyone here get to see the flames?

I was driving from the Airport to Providence Amtrak Station at 10:50pm, about 20 minutes after it supposedly started. I was approaching the Thurbers curve and saw a big mushroom-like billow of flame go into the air and couldn't believe my eyes. As I got closer, I could see the fire whipping in the wind, flames at least 200 feet high and thick black smoke coming out of it. I thought an actual tank or the tanker itself was on fire.

By the time I went back by it on the way to Wickford at 11:30 it was no longer shooting into the sky so much and by the time I headed home at 1am it was just a big orange smoldering glow, more steam coming off it than smoke.

Last night was a very interesting night to be on the road in a big van carrying passengers!

[Cotuit]

What do you think should be done with the heavy industry north of Thurbers (i.e. the oil terminal, shipyard, and asphalt plant)?

All stay, though the asphault plant may need to move. Although that could prove to be very expensive for them. I'm not talking about class A office space here by any means, at least not on the landward side of the street, where the asphault plant is. I think trying to bring work, or live/work space for artists to this area is a good move. I don't think artists would be as put off by how marginal others feel the area to be, and that could serve to keep prices down for them. Having artists there also creates a draw for the public, as the artists can set up shops to sell their work.

I'm not envisioning the Baltimore Waterfront or anything like that by any means, but I do think there is a way to make some industrial and leisure activities mix at the northern end of Allens Ave.

[Lone Ranger]

Oh, I'm sure it will. I can hear people already, "waah, waah, this is why they should've let Buddy close down the port & build yahct clubs..."

I wouldn't be surprised if this re-sparked the LNG debate, even though LNG is entirely different from this.

The first thought that crossed my mind when I heard this news last night was, "Lovely, we'll never get an LNG facility in Rhode Island now."

[jencoleslaw]

The first thought that crossed my mind when I heard this news last night was, "Lovely, we'll never get an LNG facility in Rhode Island now."

yeah, that's what i thought too. The port is a very good place for an LNG facility and if FERC would just look at the issue regionally, and pick the best site from all the applications, rather than looking and approving (or not) each one individually, the entire northeast would be much better served.