What blew up 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. Here’s a look at NBC footage of the explosion from eyewitnesses.
What caused the West Fertilizer Plant explosion?
The explosion occurred after a fire broke out in the plant. Investigators from the Texas Department of Insurance and State Fire Marshall’s Office concluded ammonium nitrate was the cause of the explosion.
How many tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in West Texas?
Fifteen people were killed, more than 160 were injured, and more than 150 buildings were damaged or destroyed. Investigators confirmed that ammonium nitrate was the material that exploded….West Fertilizer Company explosion.
| Explosion site several days after the event | |
|---|---|
| Date | April 17, 2013 |
| Time | 7:50:38 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
How big was the West Texas explosion?
93 feet wide
On April 17, 2013, the West Fertilizer Company’s storage and distribution facility exploded, killing 15 and injuring more than 150. The blast leveled city blocks and left a crater 93 feet wide and 12 feet deep. The people of West have been rebuilding ever since. On Saturday, the long-awaited memorial was unveiled.
What is West Texas famous for?
West is not just any small Texas town. It’s best known for its deep-rooted Czech culture and tight-knit families. And it’s even more famous — and beloved — for its kolaches, the traditional pastry with a dollop of fruit in the middle.
What plant exploded in Beirut?
Ammonium Nitrate
Beirut Ammonium Nitrate Blast: Analysis, Review, and Recommendations. 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 exploded in Houston?
On January 24, 2020, a building at Watson Grinding and Manufacturing in northwest Houston, Texas, United States, exploded at 4:24 a.m. Debris was scattered as far as one-half of a mile, and approximately 200 nearby houses and businesses were damaged….2020 Houston explosion.
| Date | January 24, 2020 |
|---|---|
| Property damage | 200 nearby buildings damaged |
Who was responsible for 2013 West End Texas ammonium nitrate explosion?
the West Fertilizer Company
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.
Where is ammonium nitrate stored in Texas?
Of those reported across the state, three facilities are located in Tarrant County, three in Wise County and one each in Kaufman, Navarro, Ellis and Johnson Counties. Three locations in Tarrant County vary in quantities of ammonium nitrate stored.
How many firefighters died in the West Texas explosion?
On April 17, 2013, ten emergency first responders (ranging in age from 26 to 52 and all male) were killed when a burning fertilizer plant containing an estimated 40 to 60 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded just outside the city limits.
Why is West Texas so dry?
Except for the wetter, eastern portion of the state, evaporation exceeds precipitation for most of Texas, yielding a semiarid climate that becomes arid in far west Texas.
Where was the West Fertilizer Plant explosion in Texas?
Last year’s tragic ammonium nitrate explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas, that killed 15 people, injured more than 160, and damaged or destroyed more than 150 buildings is one example of a cataclysmic event that places the chemical industry under intense scrutiny.
When was the last time West Fertilizer was inspected?
At the time of the incident, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had last inspected the plant in 1985. 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.
Where is the West Fertilizer Plant in McLennan County?
West Fertilizer’s property spans the town of West and unincorporated McLennan County. Under state law, both the town and the county could have adopted a fire code— but didn’t [1].
What to do in case of fertilizer explosion?
Through a new or existing program and in conjunction with training partners, create and implement a competitive funding mechanism to provide training to regional, state, and local career and volunteer fire departments on how to respond to fire and explosion incidents at facilities that store fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate (FGAN).
