On Friday, tanks at the Caribbean Petroleum Corp. facility in Bayamon, Puerto Rico exploded with the force of a small earthquake. As many as 15 tanks were ablaze causing immediate damage like blown out windows and longer term environmental damage like acid raid and ground water contamination. There are concerns about access to fuel and fuel prices as well as Caribbean Petroleum supplies much of the island’s fuel. But the governor said Puerto Rico has enough gas to last 24 days and 20 days’ worth of diesel.
Department of Consumer Affairs Secretary Luis Rivera Marin said 16 million gallons of gasoline were in transit to the island. He also froze prices at the level they were at 8:06 a.m.

This happens just days after massive protests on the island over pro-Statehood Governor Luis Fortuño’s handling of the economic situation including laying off about 25,000 public sector workers since the start of the year. The island nation presently has a 17% rate of unemployment with a substantial sector of the population living in poverty.

The cause of the explosions is being investigated but so far people are pointing to theories ranging from neglect to an accident to sabotage to “terrorism”.