Multiple explosions and a fire on a fuel barge are being reported at the Austal shipyard in Mobile, Ala., tonight.
https://twitter.com/MitchellRyan14/status/327241685337780225
https://twitter.com/MitchellRyan14/status/327237516832944128
BREAKING: Explosion on Mobile River pic.twitter.com/XKE0k0xRQj
— Bob Grip (@Bob_Grip) April 25, 2013
BREAKING: Another explosion along the Mobile River
— Bob Grip (@Bob_Grip) April 25, 2013
Whoaa, my house just shook from this fuel barge explosion on the river! #scary
— Gabi Bradley (@Gabi_Bradley) April 25, 2013
https://twitter.com/LunaticRex/status/327242911731302401
Explosion shook downtown Mobile & felt across bay in Daphne. Fire still burning.
— George Talbot (@georgetalbot) April 25, 2013
Fox10 News reports that the Coast Guard is on the scene. No deaths have been reported, although some crew members of the natural gas barge sustained injuries.
Units on scene on east side of Mobile River where a fuel barge has exploded and is on fire.
— Mobile Fire-Rescue (@MobileFRD) April 25, 2013
UPDATE: two barges with natural gas exploded. Three injured and transported to hospital They were reportedly empty.
— Mobile Fire-Rescue (@MobileFRD) April 25, 2013
Smoke plume from Mobile barge explosions from the ABC 33/40 SKYCAM network pic.twitter.com/bNcnn3NeIx
— James Spann (@spann) April 25, 2013
Third explosion has just occurred.
— Mobile Fire-Rescue (@MobileFRD) April 25, 2013
https://twitter.com/HilaryyySalter/status/327238905827041280
Definitely felt that explosion. House shook from side to side. http://t.co/uJw0TRhPxx
— Mary (@MaryaWord) April 25, 2013
Fuel Barge exploded almost 30 miles away and it shook our house. #mobileriver #earthquakesinLA
— Christy Day (@ChristyDay) April 25, 2013
News crews told to evacuate the area along the Mobile River
— Bob Grip (@Bob_Grip) April 25, 2013
They are setting up a one mile hot zone around the burning barges. Wow.
— Raymond Pritchett (@Galrahn) April 25, 2013
@spann Firefighters on the scanners said it was a liquid natural gas barge and they're just letting it burn for firefighter safety.
— Jamie Sandford (@jsandford) April 25, 2013
Mobile councilman William Carroll, on scene, says natural gas explosion triggered by static charge.
— George Talbot (@georgetalbot) April 25, 2013
@spann 4th explosion just went off
— David Brown (@JrjbrwDavid) April 25, 2013
Explosion at Alabama Fuel Barge Fox News Coverage from Mobile River: http://t.co/fxaemGEkPt via @youtube @newsbreaker
— Politics and More (@Politics_more) April 25, 2013
Update:
Nearby residents have been advised to shelter in place as a fifth explosion rocks the area.
BAE is sheltering in place. Part of Austal has been evacuated. A fourth explosion has occurred. Planning to let it burn. Still too unstable.
— Mobile Fire-Rescue (@MobileFRD) April 25, 2013
@spann photo of the barge courtesy of the lagniappe. pic.twitter.com/FjF7T50OXL
— Leon Sandcastle (@Tide_Fan_25) April 25, 2013
@spann Just watched the fifth explosion on Mobile River live on TV. My mom could feel it where she was on DIP.
— Elizah Renehan (@ElizahRenehan) April 25, 2013
First minutes of explosion on scanner…Mobile River Barge Explosion Scanner Audio – YouTube http://t.co/UbOxXdaCI3
— Color Me Red ? (@ColorMeRed) April 25, 2013
Per Mobile Fire Scanner "we got something going on here." One barge cont to burn with flame ups per scanner #Mobile
— Alabama Wadsworth (@ALGANCTNwx) April 25, 2013
Update:
The three reported injured in the blast are in critical condition.
3 patients from #bargeexplosion admitted to University of South Alabama Medical Center for treatment. All currently in critical condition.
— Lenise Ligon (@LeniseLigon) April 25, 2013
DEVELOPING: Fire Chief of Mobile, Ala., "We are going to be here a while." – @LeniseLigon #bargeexplosion
— NewsBreaker (@NewsBreaker) April 25, 2013
Twitchy will update this post as details emerge.