How many tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in West Texas?
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) |
What caused the fertilizer explosion?
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 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in Texas?
2,300 tons
It was the deadliest industrial accident in United States history and one of history’s largest non-nuclear explosions. A mid-morning fire started on board the French-registered vessel SS Grandcamp (docked in the port) and detonated her cargo of about 2,300 tons (about 2,100 metric tons) of ammonium nitrate.
Where did the Tianjin explosion happen in 2015?
On August 12, 2015, a series of explosions killed 173 people and injured hundreds of others at a container storage station at the Port of Tianjin. The first two explosions occurred within 30 seconds of each other at the facility, which is located in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin, China.
What was the name of the metro station that was bombed in Tianjin?
Nearby Donghai Road Station suffered severe damage as a result of the explosions and was closed until 2016, as was the rest of Line 9 of the Tianjin Metro beginning on 13 August. A Japanese department store four kilometres away reported damage to walls and ceilings.
Why was acetylene used in the Tianjin explosion?
A fire department spokesman confirmed that firefighters had used water in combating the initial fire, which may have led to water being sprayed on calcium carbide, releasing the highly flammable gas acetylene. This would have provided the fuel source for reaction with the oxidizer, ammonium nitrate, thus triggering its detonation.
Where was the warehouse explosion in China in 2015?
In August 2015, a warehouse in the port of Tianjin in northern China experienced two major explosions. According to the China Earthquake Networks Centre, the first explosion was as powerful as if three tons of TNT had detonated, and the second was equivalent to 21 tons detonating.