Docks Incident/Evacuation 3-4-2014

D Trent

Avoid area at all costs. Acetylene leak, hotel and all apartments being evacuated. Area sealed off.
Don't even think about 'heading down for a look'.
It's a highly dangerous gas

folbotcar

I passed the trawler when the fire was starting around the acetylene canisters. At first glance it looked like some work was going on but the lack people around it was a bit of a clue that it was far from normal. On the way back the fire was out and the Fire Brigade was in attendance. But it didn't look that serious. One fireman was examining the bottles.

Surprised to hear they've evacuated the area. After all it's not as if it's a fire on one of those petrol tanker ships you see docked in the harbour and the fire was out by 9:15.

2rkehij30qtza5

Acetylene cylinders can be extremely hazardous if they explode. The City Council/Gardaí are absolutely right to evacuate the surrounding areas.
ETA: Cylinder needs to be sprayed for 24 hours after incident to ensure no more risk of explosion.

dilallio

Galway City Council twitter feed:

Fire incident at Galway Docks. Road closures in place from Lough atalia, Eyre Square & Flood St. Avoid the area. Emergency services in place.

gordongekko

Traffic is bad avoid town if possible

endacl

gordongekko wrote: »

Traffic is bad avoid town if possible

Is that not standard advice for Galway though...?

WallyGUFC

endacl wrote: »

Is that not standard advice for Galway though...?

Traffic is far worse than usual so. The whole Docks area and access roads being closed ensure this is the case.

Was heading down to get petrol but Gardaí made me turn left at the Radisson instead of right. Had no clue what was going on, they did let a bus through though (on its normal route I'd assume). Any idea how long the area will be closed for?

galwayredgirl

Pics?

dilallio

WallyGUFC wrote: »

Traffic is far worse than usual so. The whole Docks area and access roads being closed ensure this is the case.

Was heading down to get petrol but Gardaí made me turn left at the Radisson instead of right. Had no clue what was going on, they did let a bus through though (on its normal route I'd assume). Any idea how long the area will be closed for?

According to AA Roadwatch it could be closed until tomorrow

GALWAY CITY: Queen St, Dock Rd and Bóthar na Long are closed due to a fire. Emergency services are at the scene and diversions are in place, however motorists are advised to avoid the area as there will be delays. This closure is likely to be in place until tomorrow (4th).
Otherwise there are no major issues for Galway City traffic.

Mrs OBumble

Sunny Rapid Sister-in-law wrote: »

Acetylene cylinders can be extremely hazardous if they explode. The City Council/Gardaí are absolutely right to evacuate the surrounding areas.
ETA: Cylinder needs to be sprayed for 24 hours after incident to ensure no more risk of explosion.

Does that mean residents are out of the area for 24 hours too????

gordongekko

WallyGUFC wrote: »

Traffic is far worse than usual so. The whole Docks area and access roads being closed ensure this is the case.

Was heading down to get petrol but Gardaí made me turn left at the Radisson instead of right. Had no clue what was going on, they did let a bus through though (on its normal route I'd assume). Any idea how long the area will be closed for?

cie has a garage down the dock so he was probably headed there.

folbotcar

Beginning to hear lurid stories about the extent of the fire. As I was there during the 'height' of it and saw the flames. I have to say it didn't look that bad, relatively small flames shooting out of but isolated to the acetylene tanks on the foredeck of the trawler. More like a flare than anything else.

Of course the size of it says nothing about the potential risk. I feel a slight shiver to think I passed so close to it with the kids in the car. :eek:

_Whimsical_

Roads are open again and evacuees can return to their homes and businesses according to Connaght tribune fb.

aaronosiochain

pics are not great but there doesn't seem to be any flames. (taken at ~12:00)

ratracer

Alarm is finished now and it's business as usual down the dock again.

thesandeman

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Does that mean residents are out of the area for 24 hours too????

Rang the guv'nor and he hadn't heard anything about it lol. He looked out and the place was deserted except for emergency vehicles. They mustn't have realised he was there.

Ficheall

aaronosiochain wrote: »

pics are not great but there doesn't seem to be any flames. (taken at ~12:00)

I see you've invested in the new Kodak toaster :P

gordongekko

thesandeman wrote: »

Rang the guv'nor and he hadn't heard anything about it lol. He looked out and the place was deserted except for emergency vehicles. They mustn't have realised he was there.

they did not evacuate the residents

galwayredgirl

ratracer wrote: »

Alarm is finished now and it's business as usual down the dock again.

So many connotations........;)

Mrs OBumble

gordongekko wrote: »

they did not evacuate the residents

According to thehournal.ie (http://www.thejournal.ie/buildings-evacuated-after-galway-harbour-fire-1396403-Apr2014/) the original exclusion zone was 200 metres, and six buildings in the area were closed.

According to 1.30pm update on Galway City Council's website (now replaced by a later update) a small number of local residents and businesses were evacuated.

Knowing exactly how close "the guv'nor" is to the trawler (assuming it's the one we saw last night, whcih is having a lot of work done on it), he absolutely should have been evacuated for a while.

Most people vastly under-estimate exactly how many inner city buildings have people living in 'em. Would not surprise me in the least if it never occurred to the guards to check - and TBH it could be hard to check from the street in some of them.