What happened 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 explosion in West Texas?
Explosions in Texas City, West, Texas and Oklahoma City were caused by ammonium nitrate — the same product believed to have blown up in Beirut Tuesday. HOUSTON — Tuesday’s deadly explosion in Beirut is being blamed on fireworks and ammonium nitrate.
How many people were killed in the West explosion?
15
West Fertilizer Plant explosion/Total number of deaths
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.
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.
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 year did the fertilizer plant explode in West Texas?
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.
How many died in the Texas explosion?
Texas City explosion of 1947, industrial disaster sparked by the fire and explosion of the SS Grandcamp on April 16–17, 1947, in Texas City, Texas. The blast set off a chain of fires as well as a 15-foot (4.5-metre) tidal wave. Between 400 and 600 people were killed, with as many as 4,000 injured.
Can ammonium nitrate be detonated by fire?
It’s relatively difficult for a fire to trigger an ammonium nitrate explosion. The fire would need to be sustained and confined within the same area as the ammonium nitrate prills.
Why is Texas so windy?
It has to do with our flat landscape. The area is part of the Great Plains, one of the windiest segments of the country, stretching from North Dakota to a large portion of Texas. Wind is air moving from high pressure to low pressure. And the Great Plains just so happens to be a hot spot for low pressure systems.
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.
Where was the plant fire in West Texas?
Around 7:30 p.m. on April 17, a fire broke out at the West Chemical and Fertilizer Company plant in West, Texas, a small town of about 2,800 people 75 miles south of Dallas. Twenty minutes later, it blew up.
How big was the earthquake in West Texas?
The explosion shook houses 50 miles away and was so powerful that the United States Geological Survey registered it as a 2.1-magnitude earthquake. It flattened homes within a five-block radius and destroyed a nursing home, an apartment complex, and a nearby middle school.
Why was the West Texas power plant not inspected?
Since the West plant had told the EPA there was no risk of a fire or an explosion, it wasn’t a priority. The plant also may have been exempt from some inspections as a small employer. An OSHA spokesman told ProPublica that the agency would be investigating whether the plant had such an exemption.
