Crime & Safety
Las Vegas: Airport Confirms Fuel Tank Struck By Rifle Fire
One tank was hit twice but the airport says there was never any danger of an explosion.

The Clark County Department of Aviation confirmed that the fuel tank farm at McCarran International Airport was struck by rifle fire during the Sunday night massacre that left 59 dead and more than 400 injured. Two bullets struck a 43,000-barrel fuel tank along the airport's west side.
One round penetrated a tank which was partially filled with jet fuel. The second round was found lodged in the outer steel shell of the tank
While there had been speculation that one of the tanks could have exploded, the aviation department says that is not the case. (For updates on the shooting and daily news from Las Vegas, sign up for the Patch morning newsletter and Breaking News Alerts.)
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"Contrary to speculation, there is almost zero likelihood gunfire damage could trigger a fire or explosion at a commercial fuel storage facility," the airport said in a statement. "Likewise, in the event of an actual, uncontained tank fire, these systems are engineered to vent flames upward into the air rather than explode."
File photo of McCarran International Airport via Ethan Miller/Getty Images News/Getty Images
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