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A stern view of the Grace 1 supertanker in the British territory of Gibraltar. Marcos Moreno

US issues warrant to seize Iranian oil tanker, a day after judge allows its release

The tanker Grace 1 was detained six weeks ago on suspicion of violating international sanctions on Syria.

THE US JUSTICE Department issued a warrant for the seizure of the Iranian oil supertanker Grace 1, one day after a Gibraltar judge allowed the release of the detained vessel.

The Justice Department alleged the ship was part of a scheme “to unlawfully access the US financial system to support illicit shipments to Syria from Iran by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” which the US has designated a foreign terrorist organization.

The warrant says the vessel, which remained anchored in the British Mediterranean territory late last night, and all the oil aboard are subject to forfeiture based on violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as well as bank fraud, money laundering, and terrorism statutes.

It also ordered the seizure of $995,000 in an account at an unnamed US bank associated with Paradise Global Trading LLC, which it called a shell company associated with businesses which act for the Revolutionary Guards.

There was no immediate word from Britain or Gibraltar over whether they would act on the warrant, as Iran said it was sending a new crew to pilot the tanker and its 2.1 million barrels of oil.

Ship released on Thursday

On Thursday, a Gibraltar judge ordered the release of the Grace 1, six weeks after it was detained on suspicion of violating international sanctions on Syria, the alleged planned recipient of the crude oil it was carrying.

The judge rejected a last-minute legal move by Washington demanding that the ship remain detained.

The 4 July seizure came amid surging tensions in the Gulf after several alleged Iranian attacks on smaller tankers.

The US – citing Tehran’s threat to American allies – expanded its military presence in the region with a new aircraft carrier task force, missile batteries and strategic bombers.

Iran called the detention of the Grace 1 an “illegal interception” staged by the United States, while Washington cheered it as “excellent news”.

Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads since US President Donald Trump withdrew last year from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between major powers and Iran, reimposing crippling unilateral sanctions.

In the wake of Grace 1′s detention, on July 19 Iran seized the British-flagged tanker Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran said the ship was in violation of “international maritime rules,” but the move was widely seen as retaliation for the Grace 1.

Ship to get new crew

Thursday’s release of the Grace 1 came after Gibraltar’s government said it had received written assurances from Iran that the ship would not be headed for countries “subject to European Union sanctions.”

“We have deprived the Assad regime in Syria of more than $140 million worth of crude oil,” Gibraltar chief minister Fabian Picardo said.

The US-issued seizure warrant would require Britain to decide whether to act again to detain the vessel, and it was not clear if that would happen.

Yesterday, Iranian officials said the tanker was preparing to set sail under an Iranian flag and would be renamed the Adrian Darya for the voyage.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the US attempt at “piracy” had failed, saying it showed Washington’s “contempt for the law”.

But according to an AFP source, the ship was awaiting the arrival of a new Iranian crew before it would leave Gibraltar. The original captain and crew were Indian nationals.

On Thursday, the US State Department threatened to issue a visa ban on anyone working on the ship.

Iran denies giving ‘assurances’

Iran denied it had made any promises about the ship’s destination to secure the release, saying Gibraltar was only seeking to “save face”.

“Iran has given no assurances over the Grace 1 not going to Syria to secure its release,” a state media website quoted foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi as saying.

The tanker’s destination was not Syria… and even if it was, it did not concern anyone else.

© – AFP 2019

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    Mute Tal Tallon
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:18 AM

    It registered 2.1 magnitude on richter scale. That’s some explosion!
    And it’s right beside a heavily populated suburban area, school and nursing home.
    Can’t imagine how horrific it is for residents

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    Mute John McCormack
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:41 AM

    Sweet Jesus, that looks awful, the poor yanks are having a bad week

    125
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    Mute colm connolly
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:44 AM

    Yanks are New Yorkers, yanks is not a term for all Americans

    18
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    Mute Gripey McGripe
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:52 AM

    Pedantic pat, apologies. The Americans are having a bad week.

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    Mute daniel fell
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    Apr 18th 2013, 11:09 AM

    Yankee’s

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    Mute Dave
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:17 AM

    Horrifying.

    87
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    Mute Bryan Rooney
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:45 AM

    That is quite distressing – poor kid. It’s been a terrible week for the US – shocking.

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    Mute Eamonn Bolger
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:32 AM

    Scary. Apparently there was a similar event at the same plant in 1947. Poor feckers.

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    Mute Orla curry
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:46 AM

    Jesus you dont know whats going to happen in america next, its horrifying. R.I.P to those who died

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    Mute Eamonn Bolger
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:35 AM

    Orla, the amount of red thumbs your comment received is indicative of the hatred of America by some misguided people on here. May they rest in peace.

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    Mute James Murphy
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:40 AM

    Jesus that was frightening.

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    Mute Barry Aston
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:01 AM

    Volunteer fire fighters would have been tackling that blaze when that explosion happened. These are normal folks thst work behind desks etc…. that don fire gear when the call comes.

    54
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    Mute Dessie Edmunds
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:52 AM

    20 year anniversary of Waco ATF siege tomorrow. Ominous

    50
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    Mute Barry O'Brien
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:53 AM

    That was my first thought when I read ‘Waco’… Could it just be a coincidence?

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    Mute Simone Fennell
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    Apr 18th 2013, 11:45 AM

    It could and is

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    Mute The Dr.
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:48 AM

    Id be selling my house asap if I lived anywhere near a fertiliser plant after seeing that!

    38
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    Mute Sarah Sue
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:14 AM

    That video scared the hell out of me cant imagine how terrified that poor kid and his Dad must have been. The emergency services are true heros to have the courage and skill to deal with something so dangerous & devastating.

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    Mute Brian Daly
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    Apr 18th 2013, 10:22 AM

    You’ve got to ask what dumb ass would stop and video this putting his own and kids life in danger?

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    Mute Rob Hitch
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:17 PM

    Im sure they thought they were at a safe distance. That looked very far to me. I would not have expected something like that.

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:52 AM

    And I would like to point out that the father who was recording this was clearly careless he has risked his and his family life for a bit of sensational footage, and after that he has published a video where his distressed son/daughter is in shock. How insensitive. Shame on him.

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:07 AM

    But of course, already red thumbs because it is ok to do so. That makes me sick, sick people you are, one this is missing in this footage is somebody without a leg or hand or some other part of their body!! Sicko.

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    Mute Dec Rowe
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:43 AM

    I doubt the guy thought he was at any risk at the distance he was at! From the sound of it he was expecting the plant to collapse not explode.

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:47 AM

    That’s beside the point unless he is sure what’s going on he shouldn’t do that. People are just reckless in pursuit of sensation.

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:52 AM

    Than again what I’m talking about. I’m talking to a people in the country where mothers and fathers are crossing a streets pushing buggy with a child in front of them on the red lights sometimes miraculously avoiding collisions.

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    Mute Amy gaffney
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    Apr 18th 2013, 10:11 AM

    Krystian what the hell are you talking about? The guy was a mile away nobody could have foreseen that a) it would blow and b) that the blast would reach that distance. And suggesting all Irish people try to murder their children by pushing them in front of cars to back up your argument is, to be honest, slightly tipping on the cuckoo side of the scale.

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    Mute Dec Rowe
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    Apr 18th 2013, 10:21 AM

    You’re off your bleedin rocker Krystian! :)

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 18th 2013, 10:34 AM

    It is a fertilizer plant!!! do you know what sort of chemicals are being used in process of making fertilizer? For instance ammonium nitrate which in large quantities which are burining is highly explosive , i assume that this folks are living in some proximity to this plant and most likely know the dangers (although in right conditions minimum) of living close to that kind of plants. This is stuff that you don’t have to have PhD to know. And i’m not suggesting that all Irish people are trying to kill their children by pushing them under the car, just some, walk on the streets of Dublin and you will see what i’m talking about. And i have brought this up simply to justify the red thumbs i’m getting.

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 18th 2013, 10:39 AM

    Sorry i’ve made mistake sentence ”children by pushing them under the car” should be ”children by pushing them in front of the car”

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    Mute Dec Rowe
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    Apr 18th 2013, 10:57 AM

    You’re making silly assumptions! You’re assuming that this guy knows it a fertiliser plant!
    I on the other hand am assuming he doesn’t know it’s a fertiliser plant! But my assumptions are based on the fact that he expected the building to collapse and NOT explode… What are your assumptions based on?
    Oh and I suppose people never cross the street with buggys when there’s a red light in Lithuania or whatever country you are from!?

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    Mute Dec Rowe
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    Apr 18th 2013, 11:05 AM

    Not that I agree with EeeJits that go that do that! Absolute nutters.

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    Mute Jason
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    Apr 18th 2013, 12:51 PM

    Ya krystian this is a real crap country full of reckless people. Here’s an idea. go back to whichever better country you came from then and it won’t bother you so much.

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    Mute Jason
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    Apr 18th 2013, 12:51 PM

    Ya krystian this is a real crap country full of reckless people. Here’s an idea. go back to whichever better country you came from then and it won’t bother you so much.

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 18th 2013, 2:03 PM

    Yeah of course, it was matter of time before the racists comments will come out. So typical.

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    Mute Amy gaffney
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    Apr 18th 2013, 3:13 PM

    Now Krystian, I’m no racist, and I’m never usually particularly defensive about Ireland, but didn’t you attack irish people first and unprovoked on a completely unrelated article?

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    Mute Jason
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    Apr 18th 2013, 3:40 PM

    Ha you absolute muppet kristian. You’re the one who generalised about an entire country by saying we push kids in prams in front of cars and so are reckless and you call me a racist when I tell you to go back to whichever country you came from if its so bad here? It because of people like you that cloak genuine racism because when ye allege it it’s so off the mark that genuine incidents are dismissed.

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    Mute Jason
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:03 PM

    And I think to be more accurate you should accuse us of being xenophobes and not racist. The irony.. Us paddys and our buggies.

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:22 PM

    Uhm right yeah. I’m happy that we have established that. Think outside the box, man was still an eejit for recording this and risking his life, yes people are running across the street with their children so I’m getting red thumbed from the very beginning cuz if nobody see any problem with running with child on the red light across that poxy street than how on earth I’m expecting people in here to see that it was risky to film some sort of factory under fire with a child in the car. I would suggest going on YouTube and see what people wrote on that too. I’m not the only one who thinks the same. Finito. And I’m Polish not Latvian and don’t let me start on differences between different countries .

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    Mute Jason
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:31 PM

    Well I’m sure the man wouldn’t have stopped there if he thought it was too close. He was a good distance away and the explosion was massively exceptional. It wasn’t like he was up next to the place. He was on the road which you can see in the mirror. The red thumbs most likely come from people that think to cast judgement on the man is a completely smug, arrogant and judgemental comment from a person that has the benefit of hindsight.

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:40 PM

    Bottom line: I hope that nobody here will make that kind of mistake as well. Forget about yourselves think about your children and don’t walk into harms way, even if you have the slightest doubts about safety. Might be too late but sorry for offending some people. This is my view.

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    Mute Dec Rowe
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    Apr 18th 2013, 10:35 PM

    Amen to that brother! ;)

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    Mute Brendan Rice
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:55 AM

    The same thing happened in France in September 2001. It registered as a 3.2 on the Richter scale:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1556100.stm

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    Mute Amy gaffney
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    Apr 18th 2013, 10:06 AM

    Can anyone tell me what distance “several blocks away” is? How far away would an average block be? Not a sarcastic question btw- genuinely would like to know.

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    Mute Dec Rowe
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    Apr 18th 2013, 10:24 AM

    I think it like when we say ‘straight and take the 3rd left’ they say ‘go 3 blocks and take a left’ blocks mean buildings. I think! :)

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    Mute Jason
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    Apr 18th 2013, 12:53 PM

    20 blocks in a mile

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    Mute Amy gaffney
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    Apr 18th 2013, 1:21 PM

    Thanks, so a few blocks away is actually close, makes the amount of damage at that distance a bit more understandable. Cheers!

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:38 AM

    I wonder if this is the same sort of plant that NET used to have near Cobh at one stage. If the same tragedy occurred there the consequences would be catastrophic.

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    Mute mcgoo
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    Apr 18th 2013, 7:57 AM

    Thankfully they closed that plant and made all the staff redundant Brian. Much safer indeed.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:11 AM

    I don’t know why you think people losing their jobs is an occasion to be thankful Mr Mcgoo. A lot of my former customers worked in that plant and would find your comments in very bad taste.

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    Mute Amy gaffney
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:46 AM

    Brian, have you read the article? Your friends are alive and unhurt. It’s your comment that’s in bad taste in my view

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:57 AM

    Amy I have been following this story since 5 AM this morning so I am well aware of the human tragedy that is unfolding. I also am aware that the plant was near an urban area which is why I posted my first comment considering that people are asking why such a plant was placed where it was. What annoys me is someone being thankful that people were put out of a job especially seeing as I knew some of those personally.

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    Mute mcgoo
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:23 AM

    Brian, I apologise. I engage in sarcastic and cynical behaviour on here sometimes. However, as my dad is an unemployed contractor from the plant in cobh, I feel like I have some first hand experience.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:32 AM

    Mcgoo Perhaps we got our wires crossed on that one. To be honest I was always nervous going in there and any other chemical plant that I used to deliver to. Hope your Dad gets something soon.

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    Mute mcgoo
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:56 AM

    Cheers for that dude and agreed, some of these old factories do have a sense of foreboding about them!

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    Mute Paul Keane
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:26 AM

    They could be no more than 500m from the blast. they are so lucky to be alive. sympathies to the families of those who died. I thought fertilzer would require a detonation to create an explosion? could extreme heat make it explode?

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    Mute Ossi Fritsche
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:08 AM

    What an idiot putting his child at risk.

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    Mute Dec Rowe
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    Apr 18th 2013, 9:40 AM

    It looks like he’s a good distance from it, if you we’re passing at that distance would you not stop to look if you didn’t realise what the plant contained?

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    Mute Brendan Rice
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    Apr 18th 2013, 8:00 AM

    and the PEPCON explosion at a rocket fuel factory in Nevada in 1988 registered as a 3.5.

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    Mute Liz (10) (^_^)
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    Apr 18th 2013, 10:34 AM

    Horrific news.

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    Mute My Thoughts
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    Apr 18th 2013, 4:08 PM

    Does anyone know if that poor child got their hearing back? I’m sure the dad meant no harm as he was in total shock as well. Still though that was an awful shock for the young child… It’s like the lightening bolt headed straight for them. Scary…

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    Mute Kinder Damo
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    Apr 18th 2013, 5:16 PM

    I’m sure the father and child are ok,, I think everyone’s forgetting about the bigger picture here and krystrian your a pig of person you’ve some neck to jump on the racist defence hate people like you

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    Mute rach
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    Apr 18th 2013, 4:00 PM

    Assuming he lives nearby he should have known what the risks were. Agree with the people saying he was putting his child at risk although unintentionally I’m sure

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