How many firefighters died in the West explosion?
How many firefighters died in the West 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.
What blew up in West Texas?
ATF says that the 2013 West plant explosion was a “criminal act.” WEST, Texas — Eight years after a massive explosion leveled portions of a central Texas town, left 15 dead and injured hundreds, the investigation into who was responsible remains open.
What happened at West Texas fertilizer plant explosion?
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.
How many people died in the West Texas fertilizer plant explosion?
15
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.
Who caused the explosion in West Texas?
West Fertilizer Company explosion
| Explosion site several days after the event | |
|---|---|
| Date | April 17, 2013 |
| Cause | Unknown (possibly arson [disputed]) |
| Deaths | 15 |
| Non-fatal injuries | Approximately 160–200 |
How much ammonium nitrate in Texas explosion?
It was the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. 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.
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.
How many tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in Texas?
At least 135 people have died and another 5,000 were hurt after about 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate ignited inside a warehouse near the port.
How much ammonium nitrate was in the West Texas explosion?
about 2,700 tons
At least 135 people have died and another 5,000 were hurt after about 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate ignited inside a warehouse near the port.
What is in ammonium nitrate?
ammonium nitrate, (NH4NO3), a salt of ammonia and nitric acid, used widely in fertilizers and explosives. The commercial grade contains about 33.5 percent nitrogen, all of which is in forms utilizable by plants; it is the most common nitrogenous component of artificial fertilizers.
Who started the West Texas explosion?
In 2013, a fertilizer plant in West, Texas caught fire and the flames reacted with the ammonia stored at the plant to create a massive explosion. As a result, the entire plant went up in flames and an explosion registered at a 2.1 magnitude, leveling houses near the industrial site.
What is the biggest explosion in US history?
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.
Where is the poorest town in Texas?
In the tiny city of Escobares, Texas, 62% of residents live below the poverty line. That’s the highest rate of any US city over 1,000 people, according to the 2016 US Census Bureau survey.
What’s the poorest county in Texas?
Willacy County, just north of Brownsville, has the highest poverty rate in the state with 38.8 percent of residents living in poverty.
Who set the West Texas explosion?
Three years after a West, Texas, fertilizer plant explosion killed 15 people, including 12 firefighters and first responders, state and federal officials said Wednesday that someone set that fire, committing a criminal act. The explosion on April 17, 2013, originated from the Adair Grain and West Fertilizer Company.
Why is ammonium nitrate banned?
Some other jurisdictions have bans on fertilizer-grade ammonium nitrate because of its potential use in bomb-making. Those countries include Afghanistan, Colombia, Denmark, the Philippines, parts of Pakistan, China and Algeria.
Can you still buy ammonia nitrate?
But in the US, you can buy ammonium nitrate on Amazon, at gardening stores, or from agricultural suppliers. The US Department of Homeland Security is required to “regulate the sale and transfer of ammonium nitrate by an ammonium nitrate facility” to prevent people from using it for terrorism.
How much ammonium nitrate was in the Beirut explosion?
The FBI report said “an approximate amount reaching around 552 metric tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded in warehouse 12”.
How many miles is a nuke?
DON’T: Stare directly at the blast. A 1-megaton bomb (that’s about 80 times larger than the “Little Boy” atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan) could temporarily blind people up to 13 miles away on a clear day, and up to 53 miles away on a clear night.
Who caused the Texas City explosion?
On the morning of April 16, 1947, a fire started on the SS Grandcamp, a cargo ship docked in the Port of Texas City, igniting 2,300 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate fertilizer in its hold. The resulting explosion leveled the dock and surrounding industrial area and ignited two more explosions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-VFBIKQCZc
