Impact of Mobeni oil fire spill still unclear
Questions are still being raised about its impact.
THE toxicological impact on surrounding communities is as yet unknown following the blaze at Africa Sun Oil in Mobeni on Thursday, 26 March.
However, experts predict the fish nursery in the harbour near the Bluff Yacht Club (BYC) may take up to 20 years to recover from the resultant oil spill.
As of Friday, 8 May, Africa Sun Oil, the site of the fire, had yet to employ a toxicologist to analyse the risk the fire posed to the surrounding residents and businesses. On the day of the fire, three air samples were taken to test the quality of the air, but the results are unknown.
Despite the concerted efforts of many to contain the spill following the fire, the refined sunflower and soya bean oil caused much damage to property and ecosystems in the harbour.
The fire at Africa Sun Oil, which began at about 4.30am in a storage warehouse, left the site destroyed after it took about six-and-a-half hours to be brought under control and extinguished. The source of the fire is not confirmed, but an electrical short is a possibility.
The amount of oil spilled as a result can’t be determined as the computers and physical records were ruined in the blaze, but about 580,000 to 700,000 litres of oil was being stored at the site and the department of environmental affairs recovered about 663,430 litres from waterways.
On Wednesday, 6 May, the damage could still be seen at the BYC. The mangroves on the shore nearest the canal entry point were browned and dying. “There is little hope for their recovery and it is really sad,” said Bluff Alliance member, Ivor Aylward.
BYC commodore, Andrew Murray, said top soil had been laid down to absorb the oil on shore, but this had had little impact. Footprints in the sand clearly showed the existence of oil millimetres below the surface. Some boats and walkways were still slick with oil and after numerous spills in recent years, the club has little hope for the rehabilitation of the area or reparation for the damages they incurred.
The weir adjacent to Solomon Mahlangu Drive (Edwin Swales VC) still had a boom across it on 6 May, to prevent the build-up of debris and residual oil from spreading. However, a clean-up at the weir the following week sent it all flooding downstream and into the harbour.
