Iraq fuel pipeline blast kills 15

[maddezmom]

NEAR DIWANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - At least 15 people were killed in an explosion in central Iraq late on Monday while people were collecting petrol from pools formed around a breach in a disused fuel pipeline, witnesses said on Tuesday.

A Reuters reporter at the rural site near Diwaniya, 180 km (110 miles) south of Baghdad, counted 15 charred bodies. A hospital official said there were also a further four bodies in Diwaniya's morgue. A police source said more than 50 were killed in total, although that figure could not be confirmed.

It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion at 11 p.m. (1900 GMT), when a large group of people had gathered to scoop petrol at the site, officials said.

The blast did not appear connected to the violence in Diwaniya on Monday, when at least 20 Iraqi soldiers were killed in street fighting with Shi'ite militiamen, some of the bloodiest clashes among rival powers in Shi'ite southern Iraq.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060829/wl_nm/iraq_pipeline_dc

[saigon68]

1. OOPS--- A Few DARWIN award winners

LOL

[Erika]

2. But W and his stooges says all is better

Then you read the truth at www.icasualties.org

[SpiralHawk]

3. "Mission accomplished, I mean, Victory is around the corner." - AWOL

"And there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and other stirring propaganda and stuff."

- KOmmander George AWOL Bush

[maddezmom]

4. Iraqi PM declares fuel crisis over as pipeline blast kills looters

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq's prime minister declared that a four-month-old fuel shortage was over, on the same day 36 people were killed when a disused pipeline exploded as they attempted to siphon off fuel.

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"We have controlled the fuel crisis in the country through immediate tactical solutions and putting in place a strategic plan to end the crisis for good," Nuri al-Maliki told reporters at the oil ministry in Baghdad.

Iraq is home to some of the world's largest reserves of untapped crude oil, but in the chaos following the 2003 overthrow of Saddam Hussein its ageing and infrastructure has struggled to keep up with domestic demand for refined fuel.

Long petrol queues are a constant feature of life in Baghdad and are themselves vulnerable to sectarian bomb attacks on civilians.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060829/wl_mideast_afp/iraqpoliticsoil_060829114926

[acmavm]

5. So the fuel shortage has been fixed? Like the guy claims that

Iraqi forces are gonna be able to take over security in the country soon.

This guy makes all the previous liars look good.

[Barrett808]

6. At least 74 killed in Iraq fuel pipeline fire

DIWANIYAH, Iraq (AFP) - At least 74 people were killed and 94 injured when an old fuel pipeline caught fire near the southern Iraqi city of Diwaniyah.

"The latest toll for the tragedy is 74 people killed and 94 injured," said Hamid Taathi, head of Diwaniyah's health department Tuesday.

A defence ministry official said the pipeline had not been used since 2003 but still contained some fuel and that local residents often cut holes in it to siphon off petrol, which currently is in short supply.

"Today also they did the same thing when the explosion was set off," he said on condition of anonymity.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060829/ts_afp/iraqunrestoil

[Javaman]

7. Two Iraqi's at the leak...

Blazing hot day, heat broils the land, people mill around ghost like trying not to exert to much energy.

Nearby two Iraqi men siphon off some oil from a leak in a pipe line.

Rashed: damn it's hot.

Kareem: no shit sherlock.

Rashed: this drip is taking forever to fill our jugs...

Kareem: I'm way ahead of you.

Rashed: what have you got there?

Kareem: a blow torch...

Rashed: now why didn't I think of that.

Kareem: because you aren't smart like me.

Rashed: before we start, light my cig with it, like Arn-old does...

Kareem: cool idea...

[spindrifter]

8. Oil explosion kills 36* in Iraq

*The number of dead has risen to above 80 aaccording to a news account on NPR

Aljazeera.net
Tuesday 29 August 2006, 14:16 Makka Time, 11:16 GMT

At least 36 people have been killed by an explosion after they tried to siphon petrol from pools formed around a breach in a disused fuel pipeline in central Iraq.


A Reuters reporter at the rural site near Diwaniyah, 180km south of Baghdad, counted 15 charred bodies, including that of a boy, on Tuesday.

A hospital official said eight bodies had been brought to Diwaniyah's mortuary. The cause of the blast was still under investigation, officials said.

One witness said there were still bodies in the fuel pools that had not yet been recovered.

<more>

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/2588968B-82E5-4FFE-B6C3-76E12C52C446.htm

[Kagemusha]

9. This happened in Nigeria several weeks ago IIRC.

Those who wish to speak of Darwin awards should remember how poor and desperate human beings can be.

[spindrifter]

10. It is a fairly common occurence in Nigeria.

This is totally pitiful, and another illustration of how these oil people are missing the boat by not protecting their infrastructure.