Fertilizer Plant Explodes near Waco Texas

[Stumpy1]

I'm having trouble finding the link again, but I did see a report that the cause might be a fire at the plant, and firefighters using water on ammonium nitrate.

Ammonium Nitrate is dissolvable in water.

 

[EbylHusker]

Reported that the plant had over 50,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia on hand. For comparison, the bombing in Oklahoma City 20 years ago was about 4800 pounds.

Anhydrous ammonia isn't explosive. It isn't even necessarily flammable as it has a flash point of like 1200 degress. Ammonium nitrate was used in Oklahoma City.

While it isn't an actual explosive, anyhydrous ammonia will combust under the right conditions (mainly a strong ignition source and mixing with some other combustible). Another threat, and this one is would be more likely in my mind, is heated ammonia can degrade into hydrogen.

No way to know for sure, but it's possible.

 

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[TXHSKR]

Reports range from 5 to 15 dead. Started off as a fire only, and they evacuated the building leaving fire fighters and other first responders in the immediate area. The explosion happened and they believe the fatalities will be the volunteer fire fighters that were fighting the fire.

 

[EbylHusker]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-texas-explosion-fire-20130419,0,2407628.story

The story has a couple good pieces of info, including the storage of 270 ton of ammonium nitrate and 100,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. It touches on not only the explosive potential of the ammonium nitrate, but also the possibility that anhydrous ammonia tanks subjected to fire can rupture and ignite.

 

[knapplc]

Here's a shot of the devastation. What's most concerning is the proximity of these tanks to the Middle School, which you can see in the foreground of this picture, on the right side. That's the Middle School's ball field in the front center of the photograph, about 200 feet from the epicenter of the blast. The circular structure in the center of the pic is a playground with a jungle gym and teeter totters.

 

[QMany]

Texas zoning regulations:

 

[knapplc]

Texas zoning regulations:

I just guesstimated the distances from the epicenter from the Google map, but I'd dispute that graphic. I don't think that Middle School is more than 500 feet from the tank that blew.

 

[QMany]

I'd say you are about right. You have to figure that baseball field is 300-400 feet long. I'd say the corner of the Middle School building is probably right at 500-600 feet from the epicenter.

It was just a graphic I saw. With the distances even being less, makes the point about ridiculous zoning even more sound.

 

[BigRedBuster]

The football field where the "triage" area is would be 300 feet long. I think the 500ft circle is about right.

 

[knapplc]

Checked it again and you're right, BRB - I was getting the feet/meters lines mixed up. Mea culpa.

 

[jimk]

Texas zoning regulations:

Most every small town USA probably looks like that with a fertilizer plant or a grain elevator right in town. Its not just a Texas problem.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Here, Central Community College is located right across the highway from 3 major ethanol and grain processing plants and a propane storage company.

 

[EbylHusker]

This is one thing where I'd say federag regulations about what can be built within xxx range of certain chemical plants would be great. I don't think they exist, unless I'm mistaken. Problem is, it would really suck to either move all the plants or the buildings to fix the noncompliance problem it woudl create. Unless they grandfathered the current ones in.

 

[HSKR]

This is one thing where I'd say federag regulations about what can be built within xxx range of certain chemical plants would be great. I don't think they exist, unless I'm mistaken. Problem is, it would really suck to either move all the plants or the buildings to fix the noncompliance problem it woudl create. Unless they grandfathered the current ones in.

Just remember that the odds are that the elevator/fertilizer plant were likely there way before the schools, nursing homes, etc were ever built as is the case in most small towns like this. I would guess this one is located along a rail line or abandoned one since that is how most of these towns sprouted up in the first place, then the town was built around these businesses. While agree that there needs to be regulations, it's not as simple as saying "Don't build here" when they have already been there for 100 years.