http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22195495
No cause yet, it's a potential volatile environment.
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Horrendous. I've just been watching a video of the explosion.
(as a sort of aside - there's some vile vile people comment on youtube videos)
Up to 15 people reported to have died - searching of destroyed buildings is ongoing, so the number is not known, may be less, may be more. Over 160 injured.
There was a fire at the fertiliser plant which caused ammonia to explode. Although the scene is being treated as a crime scene, the police say this is standard procedure and there were no indications that it was anthing other than an accident.
I'm quite familiar with two fertiliser plants. There are stringent rules in place regarding storage of the product. New studies took place after the French explosion way back when. This was caused by storing the product in a huge pile rather than bagged in pre determined quantities and ISOLATED areas.
It's doubtful that ammonia would explode in such a fashion.
The explosion at West Fertilizer Co. shook the ground in the small community of 2,800 people located about 20 miles north of Waco.
The tragedy raised fears of another U.S. terror attack just days after the Boston bombs that killed three people, and comes ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Waco siege, but Mr Swanton said the blast was more likely to be a terrible industrial accident.
Explosion: Up to 15 people are feared dead including five volunteer firefighters after a giant explosion at a fertiliser plant wreaked devastation in the town of West, Texas, leaving hundreds with horrific injuries
Devastation: The blast destroyed scores of buildings, including a nursing home and an apartment complex and blanketed the area in a cloud of toxic fumes
Search: The missing volunteer firefighters and a policeman were attending a blaze at the plant at about 7:50pm local time last night it suddenly exploded into a fireball - it thought to be caused by anhydrous ammonia igniting in the heat of the fire
Terrifying: A fire blazes in a home near to the plant - some people are thought still to be trapped in buildings and a number of firefighters are reported missing.
Originally Posted by Garage Joe:
I'm quite familiar with two fertiliser plants. There are stringent rules in place regarding storage of the product. New studies took place after the French explosion way back when. This was caused by storing the product in a huge pile rather than bagged in pre determined quantities and ISOLATED areas. It's doubtful that ammonia would explode in such a fashion.
So in your experience & opinion, do you think it is highly possible that it wasn't an accident?
Originally Posted by Garage Joe:
I'm quite familiar with two fertiliser plants. There are stringent rules in place regarding storage of the product. New studies took place after the French explosion way back when. This was caused by storing the product in a huge pile rather than bagged in pre determined quantities and ISOLATED areas. It's doubtful that ammonia would explode in such a fashion.
they said ammonium nitrate, not ammonia, the former is the explosive element when combined with certain other factors probably caused by the initial fire causing toxic fumes to mix with it and boom. .
I would say they've had a fire, and it spread to poorly stored AN. Secondly they have built domestic properties within range, or vice versa. Piss poor safety. It can 't happen here. I hope.
Oh! I'm glad someone mentioned Ammonium Nitrate. I wasn't going to. Over the years it has been such a security issue.
It was funny timing, what with the Boston bombings this week.
The news does refer to anhydrous ammonia (NH3) (ammonia without water) rather than ammonia nitrate (NH4NO3).
It seems that the tanks containing the ammonia may have been damaged allowing the ammonia to mix with air making it explosive according to this:
Chemical expert on ITV news said ammonium nitrate so I'm going with him 
Well who knows? In 30+years I don't recall anyone considering ammonia as having explosive capabilities, unless it came into contact with certain metals or halogens. People were more concerned about toxicity and cold burns.
Whether it can explode or not, in this country it was manufactured and stored at least a mile away from the fertiliser plant, as was the CNA, both being pumped in according to production rates.
You'll be pleased to know that we have automatic drenching systems and bunds too.
I just think that someone farted near the container and the rest is history.
Originally Posted by Videostar:
It was funny timing, what with the Boston bombings this week.
Absolute Radio this morning introduced the article with 'On the eve of the anniversary of the Waco massacre' ... like it was somehow connected.
Originally Posted by KaffyBaffy:
Originally Posted by Videostar:
It was funny timing, what with the Boston bombings this week.
Absolute Radio this morning introduced the article with 'On the eve of the anniversary of the Waco massacre' ... like it was somehow connected.
It's also the eve of the Oklahoma City bombing too.
Looks to have caused absolute devastation Hope it wasn't sabotage.
On the BBC Midlands news today:
Tens of thousands of tonnes of cardboard is on fire at a paper mill in Birmingham.
Twenty fire crews remain at the Smurfit Kappa plant, a mill for recycled packaging, in Nechells.
More than 70 firefighters are tackling the blaze in Mount Street, which broke out at about 22:00 BST on Wednesday, and 100 were at the scene overnight.
The fire service said no-one had been injured and the fire was not thought to be suspicious.
Crews, who are expecting the fire to burn for several days said it was now confined to a seven-acre area at the site, near the M6 motorway.
West Midlands Fire Service said a potentially dangerous situation was averted when a train carrying aviation fuel, due to pass the site at about 05:00 BST, was stopped eight miles away by Network Rail.
Following a safety assessment the train was allowed to continue 45 minutes later.
Made me think today's explosion in America could have been repeated here.
Originally Posted by Cinds:
Originally Posted by KaffyBaffy:
Originally Posted by Videostar:
It was funny timing, what with the Boston bombings this week.
Absolute Radio this morning introduced the article with 'On the eve of the anniversary of the Waco massacre' ... like it was somehow connected.
It's also the eve of the Oklahoma City bombing too.
It's just too strange the timing, I wouldn't be surprised that when they find all the dead and injured and can look through the wreckage that they will find bits of a device.
Originally Posted by Jenstar:
Just watching this on the news they showed a video taken from a car with a dad and little girl inside.... I'll go try find it
Is it this one Jenstar
