Editor:
During the June 4 rally in front of MP Terry Beech’s office, a man in a blue jacket walked through the crowd while stating that he “support[s] the pipeline 100 per cent.” I responded that he wouldn’t if he lived close to the tank farm, with the associated risk of fire or worse. He replied, “I live four blocks from the tank farm.”
Unthinkingly, I shot back, “Then, you’re signing your own death warrant.”
I would like to apologize to this gentleman, and instead of writing him off as some kind of ostrich with his head in the sand, I want instead to refer him – and those who think like him - to the documents that opened my eyes to the hazards of being a neighbour of this facility (and I live a whole two kilometres away – and we’re seriously looking for a safer place to move to). Please go to www.350Vancouver.org/kmtankfarm/ and have a look at the articles and reports on that page. I would especially call your attention to the various summary articles and to the Transmountain Tank Farm Risk Analysis by Burnaby’s deputy fire chief Chris Bowcock, especially the accompanying photos and diagrams of the extent of the “high risk” area.
And if you really want nightmares, check out the article from Industrial Fire World near the end of the report by Dr. Ivan Vince, Inferno at Tacoa, describing the horrific effects of an unexpected boil-over event in Venezuela.
Lastly, you might want to have a look at Bob Bossin’s short video tellingly called “Only one bear in a hundred bites, but they don’t come in order,” as revised May 14 of this year. All our lives are at risk right now – and the risk will only increase with the proposed expansion.
Something to think about.
Maxine Kaufman-Lacusta, Burnaby
