What caused the explosion in Texas?
On April 17, 2013, an explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas killed 15 people, injured at least 200 more and damaged 350 homes. Investigators from the Texas Department of Insurance and State Fire Marshall’s Office concluded ammonium nitrate was the cause of the explosion.
What caused the ammonium nitrate to explode?
Ammonium nitrate prills provide a much more concentrated supply of oxygen than the air around us. At high enough temperatures, however, ammonium nitrate can violently decompose on its own. This process creates gases including nitrogen oxides and water vapour. It is this rapid release of gases that causes an explosion.
In which city ammonium nitrate exploded recently?
Port of Beirut, Lebanon
A massive chemical detonation occurred on August 4, 2020 in the Port of Beirut, Lebanon. An uncontrolled fire in an adjacent warehouse ignited ~2,750 tons of Ammonium Nitrate (AN), producing one of the most devastating blasts in recent history.
What chemical was involved in the Texas City explosion?
ammonium nitrate
On the morning of April 16, 1947, a fire started on the SS Grandcamp, a cargo ship docked in the Port of Texas City, igniting 2,300 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate fertilizer in its hold. The resulting explosion leveled the dock and surrounding industrial area and ignited two more explosions.
What country owned the Grand Camp?
The S. ş. GRAND CAMP was owned by the Republic of France and operated by the Companie Gororale’Atlantique commonly known as the French Line of Paris, France.
What explosion happened in Waco Texas?
On April 17, 2013, firefighters responded to a fire at the West Fertilizer Company, a storage and distribution facility in West, Texas, a town of approximately 2,900 north of Waco.
What plant blew up in Texas?
November 2019 – Houston Chemical Plant Explosion – Port Neches. Explosions rocked the TPC Group-owned Port Neches chemical plant releasing more than 1,000 pounds of butadiene into the atmosphere and over 500 pounds of particulate matter.
Will ammonium nitrate explode by itself?
Ammonium nitrate would only explode on its own if its temperature was rapidly raised to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Compared to most combustible materials, ammonium nitrate itself is not exceptionally explosive. But the compound can contribute to explosions because it belongs to a chemical class known as oxidizers.
Does ammonium nitrate explosion cause mushroom cloud?
Storing the chemical near large fuel tanks, in bulk in large quantities and in a poorly-ventilated facility could cause a massive blast. * Experts have noted the colour of the smoke and “mushroom cloud” seen in footage of Tuesday’s blast as characteristic of ammonium nitrate explosions.
Where was the ammonium nitrate used in the Texas City disaster?
The ammonium nitrate, needed either as fertilizer or an explosive, was manufactured in Nebraska and Iowa and shipped to Texas City by rail before being loaded on the Grandcamp.
When did the fertilizer explosion in West Texas happen?
U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board safety video about the fire and explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas. The facility caught fire on Wednesday, April 17, 2013, and roughly 20 minutes after the fire was first reported to emergency dispatchers the site exploded.
Where was the Texas City explosion in 1947?
The Texas City disaster was an industrial accident that occurred April 16, 1947 in the Port of Texas City, Texas. It was the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. history, and one of history’s largest non-nuclear explosions.
How much ammonium nitrate was in the West fertilizer explosion?
Indeed, the tanks were still intact following the nearby fire and explosion. According to its last filing with the EPA in late 2012, the company stated that it stored 540,000 pounds (270 short tons; 240 t) of ammonium nitrate and 110,000 pounds (55 short tons; 50 t) of anhydrous ammonia on the site.