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Show Roosevelt City Council tables City Complex fflu ShanfaqtvinQ GIVE THANKS I i' number 12 at Roosevelt' Seagull Refinery, owned by Pennzoil, ex- ploded and burned in a spectacular fire that started about 11:05 p.m. Saturday November 21. Cause of the blaze which sent flames over a hundred feet in the air. UP IN SMOKE Tank Snow named Roosevelt Jr. Miss Tonla See page See page 13 1 which were also visible over most of the Basin, is undetermined at this time. Over 100 fighting and law enforcement personnel assisted at the site. Explosion lights skies but no real damage An 'explosion and fire at Roosevelt's Seagull Refinery, at about 11:05 pm Saturday November 21, a fire of undetermined origin occurred in the 42,000 barrel reduced crude oil tank number 12, with flames leaping up over a hundred feet into the night sky and was visible for several miles. According to a press release made by David Baum on behalf of the Pennzoil Company, who owns and manages the local refinery, the tank actually contained only about 1,500 barrels, (or 60,000 gallons) of reduced crude which only filled the tank about one foot and seven inches. The crude became full involved in fire and was a total loss by the time the fire was extinguished at about 3:40 am Sunday morning. Damage estimates for the tank which held feed stocks for the plant's catalytic cracking unit are not yet complete. The fire and subsequent containment and control activities resulted in no injuries and no releases of toxic or hazardous materials. Although the tank and contents were a total loss, the operation of the refinery was not curtailed and continues at normal levels. Outstanding response by refinery employees and all respond and suppliers-helpeminimize the damage and potential loss. The fire brought emergency responses by the Roosevelt, Duchesne, Myton, Neola, Altamont and Fort Duchesne Fire Departments with over 100 fire fighters responding. As a precaution, ambulances from Roosevelt, Altamont, Fort Duchesne, Duchesne and Vernal were placed on standby. The Roosevelt Police Department, Utah Highway Patrol, Sheriffs Department and Bureau of Indian Affairs Officers assisted in a precautionary evacuation of homes and businesses within a one mile radius and established roadblocks on highway 40 in the vicinity of the fire, affecting several local families. Refinery employees are presently involved in intensive clean up ing local agencies activities as the investigation continues. No cause for the fire has been determined at press time but a special industry investigation team will be examining the incident and making a report at a later date. The refinery is also asking anyone who actually witnessed the original explosion to contact them at with the information which will assist them in their 722-512- 8 investigation. City council tables Complex At the regular meeting of the Roosevelt City Council, held November 17, 1987 in the council room at the civic building starting at 5:30 pm the council received several reports from city personnel. Marsha Drake, Roosevelt City Rereation Director, presented her report on the recently completed fall schedule of activities and classes that the city had offered. d Overall, the program was with to her report, according citizens participating in every class that was offered and the classes, at a minimum, paying for themselves. She also announced that a speical Christmas program (see related story), will be presented December 18 to showcase" some of the classes and skills taught in the classes. Drake also discussed the upcoming basketball season for the city and expressed some concerns well-receive- about keeping spectators from getting out of hand" if they disagreed with a play or officials call. She said she was considerig the possibililes of fines or a personal foul being called on a team if supporters got out of line and d ejection of the unruly persons from the game arena. There was open time for a public hearing on the Municipal Complex and Mayor Yack reported his findings on the Impact Board and the proposal for the Education Center. Dr. Hartman of the center has beep given the proposal for updating and to be resubmitted to the Impact Board and the city has tabled the idea of a Municipal Building at least for the time being. The gold report was received on this year's season, and the Pennzoil Press Release on the possibility of adding a wax refinery to the current complex was discussed. The Fire Department Bylaws were discussed and it was decided that they needed to be studied and streamlined before ratification and approval. The council then discussed some correspondence as well as checking progress on the insurance company's response to the city's position on the sewer back-u- p incidents. The council then went into executive session. possible , kid, one worker had taken a manual level on the tank a mere hour before the blaze but was not near it when it exploded. There were no injuries from the explosion or fire. US A LUCKY BREAK All that's left of tank number 12 at the Seagull Refinery is what you see here. Fortunately the tank was nowhere near capacity and only had a little over a foot and seven inches of intermediate crude in it when it exploded and burned on November 21. In .. X. Red Ribbon Fund sets goals At the regular meeting of the Red Ribbon Safety Fund Commit-te- , held November 19 at Beverly Hansen's house, the group which is involved in the acquisition of the new stoplight at the sixth east intersection, met to discuss other safety concerns. The group, in the process of raising funds for the stoplight, had promised the community that any funds brought in over the amount needed for Roosevelt's half of the light, (925,000), would be used for other safety problems, related to the students crossing roads and traffic safety. During the fundraising efforts several citizens, groups and officials expressed concerns about other trouble areas where students and children were at risk. This latest meeting was to identify problems, prioritize them and begin efforts to seek possible solutions. fact-findin- g Included in the meeting were Flora Allred, President of the Red Ribbon Safety Fund, Beverly Hansen, Evelyn Miles, two of the committed members who have been in the efforts from the beginning of the fund, (and before). Also present were members of the school such as principal's John Smith, (Roosevelt Jr. High) and Gerald Mitchell (East Elementary), also Jeff Conley as well as Stan Keller and Earl Gingel who represented the bus drivers and Buildings and Grounds, Bill Hall and Roosevelt City Mayor, Lawrence Yack. Keith Hansen was on hand as American Legion representative and Dave Pinnick, from the STANDARD. Based on reports from individuals and groups, as well as personal observation by group members the areas of concern listed in tentative priority are: l)The parking situation between middle school and junior high buses are parking on one side of the road, extending from the middle school to the junior high with parents picking up students on the other side and students eutting between buses and cars, to walk to their homes. Over 1000 students are released at approximately the same time and there is no exit from the area past the hospital, which adds to the congestion. 2) Students the are not using the crosswalks or sidewalk near the Junior High. Many are cutting across the fields, ging around fences and cutting across four lanes of traffic, where highway 121 branches off from the main road near the Junior High. With bad weather, poor visibility and high speeds for traffic coming down the hill from the direction of Neola and students crossing four lanes, children are according to committee After students at risk, findings. 8) cross at the stoplight on sixth east, heading north towards East Elementary School, there are approximately two blocks where there are no sidewalks on one side, and children have to walk in the street, unable to even walk close to the curb to parked vehicles. 4) Iaignon Street, from about third east on, has no place for students to walk, other than on the road, especially in bad weather, all the way down to Union High School and the UBAVC. Special Needs students who ride their bikes to their facility must also ride in the middle of the road. 5) Students at Union High School are crossing highway 40, not at the crosswalks, during peak hours of traffic to reach the USU Extension and local businesses during lunch hour. Several students have been observed as waiting for traffic to stop, then waving the traffice on and then darting out in front of Continued oa page 3 |