Geelong Residents Criticize Poor Communication During Oil Refinery Fire
Residents near the Viva Energy oil refinery in Geelong, Australia, have criticized emergency services for inadequate communication following a major fire caused by a gas leak. During a community meeting, locals claimed that initial alerts via the VicEmergency app were misleading, describing the incident as small, and that updates were scarce for over twelve hours. Some residents reported receiving no alerts at all, causing significant anxiety despite no injuries being reported. Fire Rescue Victoria defended their response, stating early assessments labeled the fire small before escalating. Premier Jacinta Allan acknowledged the distress and promised to review communication protocols. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Energy Minister Chris Bowen toured the site, confirming that fuel production continues at reduced levels, with Viva Energy CEO Scott Wyatt assuring that costs would not be passed to consumers and supply impacts would be minimal. Investigators are currently assessing environmental factors and damage extent.
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Geelong Residents Criticize Poor Communication During Oil Refinery Fire
Residents near the Viva Energy oil refinery in Geelong, Australia, have criticized emergency services for inadequate communication following a major fire caused by a gas leak. During a community meeting, locals claimed that initial alerts via the VicEmergency app were misleading, describing the incident as small, and that updates were scarce for over twelve hours. Some residents reported receiving no alerts at all, causing significant anxiety despite no injuries being reported. Fire Rescue Victoria defended their response, stating early assessments labeled the fire small before escalating. Premier Jacinta Allan acknowledged the distress and promised to review communication protocols. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Energy Minister Chris Bowen toured the site, confirming that fuel production continues at reduced levels, with Viva Energy CEO Scott Wyatt assuring that costs would not be passed to consumers and supply impacts would be minimal. Investigators are currently assessing environmental factors and damage extent.
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