Fuel Tank Fire Closes Hudson River

Fuel Tank Fire Closes Hudson River



2007 September -   The U.S. Coast Guard 
closed a two-mile section of the Hudson River while local fire officials 
responded to a smoldering tank containing millions of gallons of fuel oil 
at a Poughkeepsie facility Wednesday. 
The Love Effron tank, located 40 yards from the east bank of the Hudson 
River, contains 3.5 million gallons of number two fuel oil. Local 
officials report that the tank has buckled, but there is no release of 
fuel at this time. 
The Coast Guard Captain of the Port for New York and New Jersey ordered 
the two-mile section closed. 
The safety zone spans about one mile north and south of the facility, and 
the entire width of the Hudson River midway between New York City and the 
state capital of Albany. 
"The safety zone is a precaution to keep the mariners in the area out of 
harms way," said Lt.j.g. Elizabeth Murtha, command duty officer at Coast 
Guard Sector New York. "It will also let officials safely and expediently 
respond in case of pollution." 
A Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Saugerties boat crew is securing the 
Hudson River to all non-emergency vessel traffic, and two Coast Guard 
pollution response investigators have responded to Love Effron. 
The fire was apparently ignited by a welder doing some repair work, 
officials said. No one was injured in the blast. 
The Poughkeepsie Fire Department contained the smoldering as of 3 pm 
Wednesday afternoon and has taken lead on moving the fuel to another tank 
nearby. 
The Poughkeepsie Police Department and New York State Department of 
Environmental Protection are currently on scene monitoring the tank and 
maintaining a safety zone. 

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