Update: SPI’s LPG storage facility hits fire, not Phoenix’s depot

by Maricel Burgonio February 21, 2016 (updated)

http://www.mb.com.ph/update-spis-lpg-storage-facility-hits-fire-not-phoenixs-depot/

The storage facility where an ongoing fire continues to ravage liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stock in an industrial park in Calaca, Batangas is owned by South Pacific Inc. (SPI)  and not by Phoenix Petroleum Inc., as earlier reported

Atty. Raymond Zorilla, spokesman of Phoenix Petroleum made this clarification as he explained that SPI is a locator in Phoenix’s industrial park that operates the LPG storage facility.

Zorilla, in a statement, said “SPI is a locator engaged in the LPG industry within the industrial park, and is  separate and distinct from Phoenix Petroleum. As of this morning (February 21, 2016), fire is contained [but] fire officials decided to allow the burning of remaining LPG in the tanks  while also spraying water on the affected tanks and areas.

“Our [Phoenix's] storage facilities are safe. It was the storage facility of SPI, a very new company, an importer of LPG, that [was affected by the fire]. We don’t have an LPG product,” Zorilla said.

Phoenix Petroleum has temporarily stopped its operations. “[Phoenix's] depot, on the other hand, has been under continuous water hosing to prevent heat accumulation,” said the company spokesman.

The local government of Calaca has declared a state of emergency following the fire and has moved 65 families directly affected by the disaster to a safer relocation site.

Phoenix Petroterminals & Industrial Park Corp. (PPIPC) is the landowner and developer of a 94-hectare industrial park which spans the three barangays of in Calaca Batangas–barangays Salong, Puting Bato West and Lumbang Calzada. For its part, SPI operates a 6,000-metric ton LPG storage facility on the 4-hectare leased property within the said  park.

The Phoenix Petroterminals & Industrial Park has its own port facilities situated along Balayan Bay. It also hosts the steel manufacturing plant of Steel Asia Manufacturing Inc.; the bulk solid warehouse of Arvin International Marketing Inc.; the chemical storage facilities of Asian Chemicals Corporation and Philippine Prosperity Chemicals Inc.; the power plant of South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp.; and the biggest petroleum depot of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc., an independent petroleum company.