NationStates Jolt Archive

"The ShoutCast system is reporting a massive explosion at a major industrial area in the city of Turath, originating at a Dth'gar Industries chemical plant. It is not yet clear exactly what the plant was in use for, but further information will be provided soon on all channels all networks to all Citizens, Nobility, and High Nobility in the Turath area.

"The plant, known as the Lindon Road Facility, has been at the center of an Economic Court investigation over the past few weeks, although the reason for the investigation has no yet been released to the public under the regulations passed earlier this year - known as the Fair Competition Provisory Act, the Act prevents Economic Court investigations being announced to the public until the prosecution stage (should such a need arise).

"Casualty reports are not yet available, but the Turath Regional Council has already activated evacuation contingency plans aimed at moving some three hundred thousand individuals out of the direct vicinity of the plant. The plant is still burning, with gusts of flames reportedly reaching some three hundred feet into the air. If you have not been directly contacted via your TVC comms 'visor, then there is no need for alarm. However, it is strongly advised that all citizens in the Turath area restrict travel to the subterranean portions of the city for the time being.

"More information, when it becomes available, will be released on the ShoutCast service."

~ released to the ICEL Public via the Mesh 'Shoutcast' civil service announcement system, copied to various ICEL Mesh/websites

"All citizens are reminded to refrain from attempting to contact the Civil Service regarding the well-being of loved ones or family members believed to be at the Lindon Road Facility. The Civil Service or the CPC will initiate contact as soon as information is available. Thank-you for co-operating in this matter."

~ Lord the Right Honourable Alain Menjda, Civil Service Fifteenth Echelon Public Advisor for Turath

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"I'm standing about five miles downwind of the area where the blast took place," a young fresh-faced reporter is shouting above the roaring sound of emergency service aircraft flitting back and forth in the area, "and as you can see, the fire is still burning hot after three days. This is the closest we've managed to get so far..."

The backdrop is astonishing, to say the least. A vast column of smoke is rising high into the air way over yonder, tilting this way and that, swirling in the eddying currents of the air as it rises higher; apparently neither the efforts of the Commonality's Imperial Fire Brigade or the daily tropical rains have not halted the fire. The buildings aroundabouts are unremarkable, but the site of this report, the usually bustling Prime Western Avenue, is bizarrely empty. It's almost what some might call 'creepy' to find an empty street in a city with as vast a population as Turath.

"...to the actual site of the explosion, and I have some more details to give you. The Civil Service has just released figures relating to the death toll, as they've finally managed to make contact with the famillies of those involved. I can tell you that the death toll is estimated to be somewhere near three thousand people, with at least seventeen thousand walking wounded being ferried out of the area to hospital facilities throughout the Commonality. The response by the emergency services has been sharp and swift, effective and efficient, and that's the reason for the astonishing noise level. That roaring you can hear is the sound of ambulance aircraft ferrying people out of the immediate disaster area - the original blast itself is now believed to have directly affected an area at least several hundred meters in diameter - and of course, it's also the sound of other aircraft bringing evacuees to safety. This looks set to be the worst disaster in the history of the Iluvauromeni People.

"Although the Civil Service Investigation Branch has not yet issued its final report - it is likely to be some weeks before they do so - they have notably commented that 'insurrectionist interference' cannot be ruled out at this time. What the implications of this are remain to be seen...."

~ excerpt from an ongoing programme dedicated to the disaster on stations INN Solar News 7, INN Ma-tek 1, INN Ma-Nenya 1, and INN Ax-turath 1 (all media, inc. trimensional, television, radio, holovision)