What caused the explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in 2013?
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.
How many people died at AZF fertilizer?
The explosion was heard 80 km away (50 miles)….Toulouse chemical factory explosion.
| Date | 21 September 2001 |
|---|---|
| Type | Explosion (~20–30 tons of TNT) |
| Cause | Sodium dichloroisocyanurate and ammonium nitrate mishandling and reaction |
| Deaths | 31 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 2,500 |
What caused the fertilizer plant explosion?
Fire and explosion After weeks of investigation, the cause of the initial fire remained unknown; authorities ruled out weather, natural causes, anhydrous ammonia, and ammonium nitrate in a rail car as possible causes. In May 2016, the ATF announced that they had determined the fire had been deliberately set.
What was the name of the chemical fertilizer that detonated in both the explosion in West Texas in 2013 and the huge explosion in Texas City Texas in 1947?
Ammonium nitrate explosion
Ammonium nitrate explosion in West, Texas in 2013 That explosion was the result of an arson fire at the West Fertilizer Company. Fifteen people were killed in that explosion. Another 260 people were injured and hundreds of homes damaged.
What caused the West explosion?
The fire caused ammonium nitrate to ignite, triggering the blast that registered as a 2.1 magnitude tremor that was detected on seismographs as far away as Hockley, 142 miles away.
What kind of explosion happened in West Texas?
HOUSTON – The fertilizer plant explosion and fire in West, Texas, happened on April 17, 2013, killing 15 people and causing hundreds of injuries among the rural area’s 2,800 people.
What exploded in the AZF incident?
During the morning of September 21, 2001, a warehouse containing ca. 300 metric tons of production rejects of ammonium nitrate granulates exploded in the AZF/Grande Paroisse plant of Toulouse (France), causing 31 deaths, hundreds of casualties, and enormous damages.
What was the material that exploded in the AZF fertilizer?
ammonium nitrate residue
Between 20 and 120 tons of ammonium nitrate residue (equivalent to 20 to 40 tons of TNT) detonated on September 21, 2001 in the AZote Fertilisant (AZF) fertilizer plant in Toulouse, causing devastating effects at the site and far beyond.
How many pounds of ammonium nitrate exploded in West Texas?
Chemical safety regulations were put in place after an explosion in the city of West, Texas, involving more than 80,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate.
Can fertilizer plants explode?
Uneven regulation puts people at risk. Nearly seven years after a blast in Texas killed 15 people and injured 260, oversight of ammonium nitrate remains a patchwork and public information is scarce.
When did the fertilizer plant explodes in Texas?
April 17, 2013
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. While crews worked to contain the fire, the site exploded, leveling homes, businesses and other buildings, including a nearby school.
Is ammonium nitrate used for fertilizer?
Uses. Ammonium nitrate is used commonly in fertilizers; in pyrotechniques, herbicides, and insecticides; and in the manufacture of nitrous oxide.
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.
What was the damage to the West Fertilizer Plant?
The massive explosion obliterated the West Fertilizer Company plant and caused heavy damage and further destruction to surrounding areas. Numbers for people dead or injured varied initially.
Where was the West Fertilizer Plant in Texas?
•West Fertilizer Plant 2 • Established as a railroad and farming town • Settled by Czech and German farmers • 20 miles north of Waco • Population 2,800 • A popular stop along Interstate 35…famous for Kolaches West, Texas • Established in 1958 • 10 full time staff • Approximately 150 tons (300,000 lbs) ammonium nitrate (AN) on site.
Why was West Fertilizer Company fined by OSHA?
According to records obtained by the Associated Press, OSHA cited the plant for improper storage of anhydrous ammonia and fined it $30. OSHA could have fined the company as much as $1,000. OSHA also cited the plant for violations of respiratory protection standards, but did not impose a fine.