Man crashes car into crowd honoring victims of fire, leaving 1 dead, 17 hurt: police

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A suspect in Eastern Pennsylvania has been arrested after he drove through a crowd of people at an event honoring victims of a recent fire and later assaulted a woman, police said. 

A heavy police presence was reported at the Intoxicology Department bar in Berwick, Pennsylvania after multiple pedestrians were reportedly struck, WOLF-TV reported. 

The incident left one person dead and 17 people injured, Pennsylvania State Police said. 

"On Saturday, August 13, 2022, at approximately 6:15 p.m. Pennsylvania State Police Bloomsburg received a call to assist Berwick Police Department with a vehicle that drove through a crowd at a community event on West 2nd Street, Berwick Borough, Columbia County," a statement said. 

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Multiple people were reportedly injured when a car hit pedestrians at a fire victim memorial in Berwick, PA (Google Maps)

Twelve of the victims were transported to Geisinger Danville hospital, three were transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley, one was transported to Berwick Hospital and one was transported to Geisinger Bloomsburg, according to the statement.

The suspect fled the scene.

NEW JERSEY DOUBLE-DECKER BUS DRIVER ‘LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL’ IN CRASH THAT KILLED TWO PEOPLE, POLICE SAY

WNEP-TV reported that the crash happened at a day-long event meant to benefit the families of 10 people killed in a recent fire in Nescopeck, Pennsylvania.

State Police said the same suspect believed to be responsible for the crash was found later in Luzerne County, where police received a call of a male suspect beating a woman.

"Upon Troopers arrival, they discovered a female deceased and a male who was detained by a Municipal Police Department," the statement added. The suspect remains in custody at PSP Shickshinny, awaiting criminal charges.

The Borough of Berwick Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Investigations into both incidents remain active.

"The Columbia County District Attorney's Office along with the Troop N Major Case Team are investigating the homicide incident in Berwick, Columbia County," PSP said. 

The suspect's name has not been released.

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Anyone with information, including video surveillance or photos of either incident, is encouraged to call PSP Bloomsburg at 570-387-4261 or PSP Shickshinny at 570-542-4117.

Andrew Mark Miller is a writer at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/man-crashes-car-into-crowd-honoring-victims-of-fire-leaving-1-dead-17-hurt-police/?feed_id=10685&_unique_id=62f8ac49555d6

17 missing, dozens hurt as fire rages in Cuban oil tank farm

HAVANA -- A fire set off by a lightning strike at an oil storage facility raged uncontrolled Saturday in the city of Matanzas, where four explosions and flames injured nearly 80 people and left 17 firefighters missing, Cuban authorities said.

Firefighters and other specialists were still trying to quell the blaze at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where the fire began during a thunderstorm Friday night, the Ministry of Energy and Mines tweeted. The governmeht said later that it had asked for help from international experts in “friendly countries” with experience in the oil sector.

The official Cuban News Agency said lightning hit one tank, starting a fire, and the blaze later spread to a second tank. As military helicopters flew overhead dropping water on the blaze, dense column of black smoke billowed from the facility and spread westward more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) toward Havana.

The Facebook page of the provincial government of Matanzas said the number of injured had reached 77, while 17 people were missing. The Presidency of the Republic said the 17 were “firefighters who were in the nearest area trying to prevent the spread.”

The accident comes as Cuba struggles with fuel shortages. There was no immediate word on how much oil had burned or was in danger at the storage facility, which has eight giant tanks that hold oil used to fuel electricity generating plants.

“I was in the gym when I felt the first explosion. A column of smoke and terrible fire rose through the skies,” resident Adiel Gonzalez told The Associated Press by phone. “The city has a strong smell of sulfur.”

Authorities said the Dubrocq neighborhood closest to the fire was evacuated, while Gonzalez added that some people decided to leave the Versailles district, which is a little farther from the tank farm.

Many ambulances, police and fire engines were seen in the streets of Matanzas, a city with about 140,000 inhabitants that is on Matnzas Bay.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel traveled to the area of the fire early Saturday, officials said.

Local meteorologist Elier Pila showed satellite images of the area with a dense plume of black smoke moving from the point of the fire westward and reaching east to Havana.

“That plume can be close to 150 kilometers long,” Pila wrote on his Twitter account.

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Andrea Rodríguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/17-missing-dozens-hurt-as-fire-rages-in-cuban-oil-tank-farm/?feed_id=7514&_unique_id=62eec2fd9b07d

Firefighters missing, dozens hurt as fire rages in Cuban oil tank farm

Cuban authorities say lightning struck a crude oil storage tank at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, causing a fire that led to four explosions which left dozens missing and injured.

The accident comes as Cuba struggles with fuel shortages. (AP)

A fire set off by a lightning strike at an oil storage facility has raged uncontrolled in the Cuban city of Matanzas, where four explosions and flames injured nearly 80 people and left 17 firefighters missing.

Firefighters and other specialists were still trying to quell the blaze at the Matanzas Supertanker Base on Saturday, where the fire began during a thunderstorm on Friday night, the Ministry of Energy and Mines tweeted.

The government said later that it had asked for help from international experts in “friendly countries” with experience in the oil sector.

The official Cuban News Agency said lightning hit one tank, starting a fire, and the blaze later spread to a second tank.

As military helicopters flew overhead dropping water on the blaze, dense column of black smoke billowed from the facility and spread westward more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) toward Havana.

The Facebook page of the provincial government of Matanzas said the number of injured had reached 77, while 17 people were missing.

The Presidency of the Republic said the 17 were “firefighters who were in the nearest area trying to prevent the spread.”

It’s been a bad week in Cuba. Currency devaluation and poor living conditions sparked nationwide protests. Now, lightning has struck an oil warehouse in Matanzas. This just confirms my School Boys Theory of History: It’s just one damn thing after another.pic.twitter.com/0G3UD4OpQN

— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) August 6, 2022

'Smell of sulphur'

The accident comes as Cuba struggles with fuel shortages.

There was no immediate word on how much oil had burned or was in danger at the storage facility, which has eight giant tanks that hold oil used to fuel electricity generating plants.

“I was in the gym when I felt the first explosion. A column of smoke and terrible fire rose through the skies,” resident Adiel Gonzalez said. “The city has a strong smell of sulphur.”

Authorities said the Dubrocq neighbourhood closest to the fire was evacuated, while Gonzalez added that some people decided to leave the Versailles district, which is a little farther from the tank farm.

Many ambulances, police and fire engines were seen in the streets of Matanzas, a city with about 140,000 inhabitants that is on Matnzas Bay.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel traveled to the area of the fire early on Saturday, officials said.

Local meteorologist Elier Pila showed satellite images of the area with a dense plume of black smoke moving from the point of the fire westward and reaching east to Havana.

“That plume can be close to 150 kilometres long,” Pila wrote on his Twitter account. 

READ MORE: Death toll of Havana hotel explosion rises as rescue operations continue

Source: AP

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/firefighters-missing-dozens-hurt-as-fire-rages-in-cuban-oil-tank-farm/?feed_id=7493&_unique_id=62eeba1754c62