Once again the oil companies in Durban have found that their worst enemies live right next to them. In the absence of any clear communications from the authorities supposedly in charge managing the fall-out from the huge fire at Island View near Durban, the fenceline communities have the word.
And the word is not good.
Spigot quotes:
“We could hear the roaring of flames from about 2km away”
"People must be told what was in the tanks and whether the smoke was toxic,"
"I heard three consecutive explosions, they sounded like bomb blasts”
"It was terrible; there were huge flames and billowing clouds of smoke. We could actually feel the heat of the flames."
"I guess this was something waiting to happen”
It just goes to show once again that if you don’t take charge of the communications immediately, worthies like Spigot’s old pal Tony Carnie of the Mercury will find someone else to comment on the disaster.
Not that there were no official commentators. No. Carnie details at least five different officials commenting on the fire and all are saying something different.
Result? The only clear stories come from the fenceline commentators and god knows they are not friends of the oil business in the area. Next time fellas, organize yourselves around one cohesive storyline or suffer the same klapping.
