Waco Fertilizer Plant 04.17.13
Re: Waco Fertilizer Plant 04.17.13
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anhydrous ammonia is a pungent gas with suffocating fumes that is used as a fertilizer.
When exposed to humans, it can cause various problems:
• Anhydrous means without water
• Anhydrous ammonia can rapidly cause dehydration and severe burns if it combines with water in the body
• Symptoms can include breathing difficulty; irritation of the eyes, nose or throat; burns or blisters.
• Exposure to high concentrations can lead to death.
• Victims require treatment with large quantities of water for at least 15 minutes
• It must be stored at high pressure, according to the University of Minnesota.
• It is a low-cost, highly effective nitrogen-based fertilizer, the University of Arkansas said.
• It is one part nitrogen and three parts hydrogen.
• When released, the vapors initially move close to the ground, causing greater risk for exposure.
One of the worst disasters in U.S. history involving a form of ammonia occurred in April 1947 when a ship loaded with ammonium nitrate -- a solid fertlizer composed of ammonia and nitrogen -- caught fire while docked in Texas City, Texas, in April 1947. The fire caused an explosion that damaged more than 1,000 buildings, according to the website of the Texas Historical Association.
The blast ignited a fire on a second ship docked in Galveston Bay that was also loaded with ammonium nitrate. With most of the city's fire fighters killed in the first blast, the fire burned for 16 hours and caused another huge explosion. Volunteers fought to put out subsequent blazes.
The historical association said almost 400 people were killed and more than 175 were listed as missing. Only a few bodies in the dock area were even recovered.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/us/anhydr ... index.html
When exposed to humans, it can cause various problems:
• Anhydrous means without water
• Anhydrous ammonia can rapidly cause dehydration and severe burns if it combines with water in the body
• Symptoms can include breathing difficulty; irritation of the eyes, nose or throat; burns or blisters.
• Exposure to high concentrations can lead to death.
• Victims require treatment with large quantities of water for at least 15 minutes
• It must be stored at high pressure, according to the University of Minnesota.
• It is a low-cost, highly effective nitrogen-based fertilizer, the University of Arkansas said.
• It is one part nitrogen and three parts hydrogen.
• When released, the vapors initially move close to the ground, causing greater risk for exposure.
One of the worst disasters in U.S. history involving a form of ammonia occurred in April 1947 when a ship loaded with ammonium nitrate -- a solid fertlizer composed of ammonia and nitrogen -- caught fire while docked in Texas City, Texas, in April 1947. The fire caused an explosion that damaged more than 1,000 buildings, according to the website of the Texas Historical Association.
The blast ignited a fire on a second ship docked in Galveston Bay that was also loaded with ammonium nitrate. With most of the city's fire fighters killed in the first blast, the fire burned for 16 hours and caused another huge explosion. Volunteers fought to put out subsequent blazes.
The historical association said almost 400 people were killed and more than 175 were listed as missing. Only a few bodies in the dock area were even recovered.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/us/anhydr ... index.html
Re: Waco Fertilizer Plant 04.17.13
Texas City Disaster report from FIRE PREVENTION AND ENGINEERING BUREAU OF TEXAS
The Texas City Disaster Google books
The Texas City Disaster Google books
Re: Waco Fertilizer Plant 04.17.13
8 days following the explosions in the principal dock areas. Numerals 1 and 2 denote locations of S.S. GRANDCAMP and S.S. HIGH FLYER respectively. Note hole in Warehouse "B" caused by explosion. Warehouse "O" to left of numeral 1 shows (dotted line) over half of structure has disappeared.
Re: Waco Fertilizer Plant 04.17.13
Before and After
Re: Waco Fertilizer Plant 04.17.13
Flying steel fragments and portions of the cargo were found 13,000 feet distant. A great number of balls of sisal twine, many afire, were blown over the area like torches. Numerous oil tanks were penetrated by flying steel or were crushed by the blast wave which followed the explosions.
Drill stems 30 feet long, 6 3/8 inches in diameter, weight 2700 pounds, part of the cargo of the S. S. GRANDCAMP were found buried 6 feet in the clay soil a distance of 13,000 feet from the point of the explosion. (2.5 miles)
Link
Drill stems 30 feet long, 6 3/8 inches in diameter, weight 2700 pounds, part of the cargo of the S. S. GRANDCAMP were found buried 6 feet in the clay soil a distance of 13,000 feet from the point of the explosion. (2.5 miles)
Link
One of the propellers on the High Flyer was blown off, and found almost a mile inland; it is now part of a memorial park, and sits near the anchor of the Grandcamp.
wiki
wiki
Re: Waco Fertilizer Plant 04.17.13
Wow. It was downwind from the fire. Wondering it the heat finally got to whatever was down there. A layout of the facility would be useful.