Texas Plant Told State it Could Not Explode

Newser ^ | 04/18/2013 | By Kevin Spak

[Responsibility2nd]

(Newser) – News outlets are digging into the West Fertilizer plant's regulatory filings and finding that, in light of the explosion that may have killed as many as 15 people and injured about 160, the plant might have undersold the risks a tad. While the company did tell regulators it had up to 54,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia on hand, it said there was "no" fire or explosive risk, Fox News reports. It said the absolute worst-case scenario would be an essentially harmless 10-minute gas leak.

In other developments:

• Rick Perry is asking the federal government to declare an emergency for the area, the Dallas Morning News reports. "Last night was truly a nightmare scenario," he said. " This tragedy has most likely hit every family and touched practically everyone in that town."
• Three to four West City volunteer firefighters are among the missing, as is the city secretary. The blast destroyed as many as 75 buildings. The streets of the town are carpeted with the glass of storefront windows, and one 50-unit apartment complex stands with its brick facade blown completely away.
• Documents obtained by the Dallas Morning News indicate that regulators didn't issue a permit for the facility until after it was already in use, and that they were well aware of its proximity to homes and a school. Columnist Tod Robberson writes that the incident should be a wake-up call to cities to zone dangerous businesses more carefully. "Someone needs to be called to account," he writes.
• KUT notes that the explosion falls almost directly on the 66th anniversary of the Texas City Disaster, a devastating explosion caused by a ship containing ammonium nitrate.

 

[thackney]

Material Safety Data Sheet
http://www.hummelcroton.com/msds/msdsp/amno3_p.html
Ammonium Nitrate

Fire/Explosion Hazards: Contact with other material may cause fire. Emits toxic fumes under fire conditions. Container explosion may occur under fire conditions.

No other material is required to cause explosions.

[Pikachu_Dad]

Navy,

Sorry, not ignoring you, just got distracted by the bomber hunt.

You are correct... Nitrate not nitrite.

I need to rule out anhydrous ammonia completely I think.

The ammonia bullets ‘long skinny white cylinders’ appear to be on the south side of the facility. At 12,000 gallons each, they would be filled from trucks, not rail cars. The cylinders appear to be there still. There were no complaints of an ammonia cloud that I am aware of. Just a large fire followed by explosion. Very unlikely.

[Pikachu_Dad]

Cool. ChE with 30 years here. Part of that time I dealt with upgrading our ammonia bullets as a result of the Bhopal disaster. Much larger scale than what they have here.

I think their NH3 bullets are the long white tanks south of the big building. They are still there after the disaster.

Any word yet what was in the large building that was gone?

[Pikachu_Dad]

Not sure what chemicals they had on site or what they were making.

Something organic was burning to make a heck of a fire.

[Navy Patriot]

I still don't have near enough information on the West, Texas plant to render an opinion on the probable cause of the explosion.

There was another FR thread this morning postulating that the plant was storing more ammonium nitrate than they were reporting because they did not have the required proper facilities and safety systems for the larger amount, being unwilling to pay the costs of those improvements.

However those are unconfirmed reports and may be inaccurate or false.

[Pikachu_Dad]

Ammonia tank under fire will lift its pressure relief valve. The ammonia will then vent to atmosphere. Initially it is 100% ammonia. As it mixes with air the concentration of ammonia will go to 0. Thus every release at some point will be within the explosive mixture range. If indoors with an open flame in the building, there is usually an explosion. Ammonia was used extensively in refrigeration units in farming and there is a detailed list of all the explosion out there. Outside, the flame has to be in just the right location or it doesn’t happen. Outdoor release main hazard is the large toxic cloud that ‘walks’ along the ground. (See desert tortoise videos of large ammonia releases). Most fatalities occur within 500 yards? Due to toxic inhalation.

If liquid released, it auto chills down and burn hazards from the intense cold are a problem.

The ammonia tanks are about the size of a truck (12,000 gal), not the size of a rail car (33,000 gal). They appear to be the long white vessels south of the building and only minimally involved.

[Tau Food]

Documents obtained by the Dallas Morning News indicate that regulators didn't issue a permit for the facility until after it was already in use, and that they were well aware of its proximity to homes and a school. Columnist Tod Robberson writes that the incident should be a wake-up call to cities to zone dangerous businesses more carefully.

Boy, that sounds like something out of Mexico.

[Pikachu_Dad]

USA Today http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/2095817

They claimed 270 tons of Ammonium Nitrate. (What kind of ton - the 2000 lb/ton?) 540,000 lbs of Am Nitrate? That would have to be in the two large buildings.

Presuming the round buildings North side were grain storage.

If true, How big a volume is that?

[Navy Patriot]

If true, How big a volume is that?

Ammonium nitrate is about 18.6 cubic feet per (American 2000#) ton.

That would be just over 5000 cubic feet, or a 10' X 10' building 50' high.

That's enough volume and weight to go bang.

[Pikachu_Dad]

From USA Today, we get the Adair Grain Inc 2012 Tier 2 Report - Via msnbcmedia.
Reporting period Jan 1 to Dec 31 2012. Printed April 18, 2013

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Sections/NEWS/Adair%20Grain%20Inc%202012%20Tier%202%20Report.pdf

[Pikachu_Dad]

First Chemical Listed: Ammonium nitrate
Cas: 6484-52-2
Pure
Solid
EHS

Components
100wt% Ammonium Nitrate

Physical and Health Hazards
Fire
Immediate Acute (health)
Delayed Chronic (health)

Inventory
Max Daily Amount code: 10
Between 500,000,000-999,999,999 pounds
Avg Daily Amount code: 10
Between 500,000,000-999,999,999 pounds

Max quantity in largest container:
180,000 lbs

No. of days on-site: 365

Storage Codes & Locations
Container Type: R
Pressure: 1
Temperature: 4
Location: Fertilizer Plant West of Office
Amount: 270 tons

That’s it for the Ammonium Nitrate. New post for the rest

[Pikachu_Dad]

Based on that information, lets assume that the WHITE building in the picture is their office building. The car spots are there. The building due west of it, the gray one, is therefore the Ammonium Nitrate storage facility. Large rectangular building - just what we would store a large volume of bags of fertilizer in.

Just west of the building like they said.

[Pikachu_Dad]

Next up: Anhydrous ammonia
CAS: 7664-041-7
Pure
Gas
EHS

Chemical Components:
EHS CAS 7664-41-7
Ammonia Gas 82 wt%

Physical & Health Hazards
Sudden release of pressure
Acute Immediate (health)

Inventory
Max amount: 100,000 pounds
Max Daily Amount code: 05:
100,000 - 999,999 pounds

Avg amount: 100,000 pounds
Avg Daily Amt: 5
100,000 - 999,999 pounds

No days on site: 365

Storage codes and locations:
Container type: A
Pressure: 1
Temperature: 4
Location: South of dry fertilizer plant
Amount: 110,000 pounds

Based on this, it is south of the gray building.

[Navy Patriot]

They claim largest storage 90 tons, so they must have had at least 3 of those units.

That would make 'em under 20' high, but it is still unwise to store it in bulk.

[Navy Patriot]

...just what we would store a large volume of bags of fertilizer in.

Note that they use the description "container", that doesn't necessarily mean bags.

Rack stored bags with circulating air space usually give no trouble.

[Pikachu_Dad]

Other chemicals listed:

Grazonnext
2,4-dicholorophenoxyacetic acid,
trisopropanolamine salt, 51 wt%

Phsycial and health:
Reactivity
Acute Immediate Health

Inventory
Max Daily amount: 2 (100-999 pounds)
Avg Daily amount: 2 (100-999 pounds)

Maximum largest container: 7.5 pounds

Stored on site: 365 days

Container type: N
Pressure: 1
Temperature: 4
Location: #23 Chemical storage warehouse Amount 540 pounds

---

RECLAIM
Cas: 57754-85-5
Pure
Liquid
EHS

Chemical components
EHS, CAS: 57754-85-5,
Component: Clopyralid monoethanolamine salt, 40.9% wt

Physical
Fire
Acute, immediate (health)
Delayed, chronic (health)

Inventory
Max Daily amount: 01 (0-99 pounds)
Avg Daily amount: 01 (0-99 pounds)

#23 Chemical storage warehouse: 60 pounds
Max quantity in largest container: 3 pounds

On site: 365 days

---

Also in #23 Chemical Storage Warehouse

REMEDY ULTRA 192 pounds
Triclopyr-2-butoxyethyl ester, 60.5wt%
Pure, Liquid, EHS
CAS: 64700-56-7

Max largest container: 10 pounds

Inventory
Max Daily amount: 2 (100-999 pounds)
Avg Daily amount: 2 (100-999 pounds)

---

SURMOUNT 29.75 pounds
Picloram Triisophropanolamine salt, 13.2wt%
Mix, Liquid, EHS
CAS: 6753-47-5

Hazard:
Reactivity
Acute Immediate (health)
Delayed Chronic

Storage codes:
Type: N
Pressure: 1 Temp 4

Inventory
Max Daily amount: 01 (0-99 pounds)
Avg Daily amount: 01 (0-99 pounds)

Largest container 2.975 pounds

---

YUMA 400 pounds
Chlorpyrifos, 44.9%
Pure, LIquid, EHS
CAS: 2921-88-2

Hazard:
Fire
Reactivity
Immediate, acute
Delayed, chronic

Storage:
Type: N
Pressure: 1 Temp: 4 400 pounds
Largest container 10 pounds

Inventory
Max Daily amount: 2 (100-999 pounds)
Avg Daily amount: 2 (100-999 pounds)

Signed by Donald Adair on February 26, 2013

[Navy Patriot]

Ammonium Nitrate

[Pikachu_Dad]

So, the only material in enough volume to give such a huge bang (and one with a history of explosions) is the ammonium nitrate stored in the ‘fertilizer plant west of office’.

So how are they receiving this material?

Options:
1: There appears to be a rail spur running just to the west of the building.
2: They could be trucking it in.
That many tons, especially with such a small crew (only 8?), it had better be automated.

How are they off loading this material?
Can we see any kit? That may give us a clue.

How are they selling it?

We are talking volume shipments to farmers.

[Pikachu_Dad]

We still need the ‘combustibles’. What the heck was burning?

[Pikachu_Dad]

Down to: Accident or Terrorism

---

ANFO: The Tool of Destruction 10/01/1995

BY FRANK L. FIRE

ANFO is an acronym for the most popular blasting agents in use today. It stands for ammonium nitrate, fuel oil; and it is a simple mixture of the two. Ammonium nitrate is an oxidizing agent that does more than just supply oxygen to support the combustion of a fuel—it also is itself an explosive substance. Since it is an oxidizer and a material that burns (explodes), this combination of two legs of the fire triangle (the third, of course, is energy) can prove deadly. Indeed, on occasion, ammonium nitrate has itself detonated, causing loss of life and considerable property damage.

Ammonium nitrate`s explosive properties were recognized as early as 1867, when a patent was issued for its use with various sensitizers and nitroglycerin. Its first widespread use was to replace some of the nitroglycerin used in dynamite. Its first use as an ingredient in nondynamite explosive materials was in a blasting agent called Nitramon, introduced by Du Pont in 1935. In 1955 a patent was issued for a blasting agent using fertilizer-grade ammonium nitrate (FGAN) with a solid fuel sensitizer. Coal was one of the solid fuel sensitizers used, and the solid fuels later were replaced with liquids such as fuel oil.

Ammonium nitrate`s explosive nature has been known to scientists and industrialists for more than 130 years but is also known to the general public because of the many disasters its accidental detonation has caused. The most widely known disaster is the 1947 Texas City explosion, which caused nearly 500 deaths and extensive property damage.

ANFO is amazingly easy to produce and therefore is a favorite tool of terrorists. It is safer and easier to make than black powder, the previous choice of terrorists. ANFO is relatively stable, whereas black powder is extremely sensitive and prone to accidental explosion. ANFO is classified as a blasting agent; black powder is classified as an explosive.

MAKING THE BOMB

To make an ANFO bomb, you can purchase ammonium nitrate in quantity from any business that services the agriculture industry. Farmers routinely buy quantities of it because it makes a good fertilizer. You blend two to five percent common kerosene, household fuel oil, or diesel fuel with 95 to 98 percent ammonium nitrate, mixing it well. The resulting ANFO is so insensitive to shock that it requires a high explosive such as dynamite to detonate it (as opposed to the slight friction needed to explode black powder). The dynamite is detonated with a timing device so the bomber can escape before the explosion. As long as the ANFO is in a container or contained in some manner, the detonation will be quite destructive.

The energy liberated by pure ammonium nitrate is 2,620 kiloJoules per kilogram (kJ/kg), while common explosives liberate between 2,500 and 7,000 kJ/kg (nitroglycerine is 6,790 kJ/kg). The gas volume generated by exploding ammonium nitrate is 980 decimeters cubed per kilogram (dm3/kg); for nitroglycerine, it is 716 dm3/kg. The detonation velocity of pure ammonium nitrate is 2,700 meters per second (m/s), while that of ANFO is around 4,200 m/s.

“FERTILIZER” IS MISNOMER

The majority of ammonium nitrate manufactured is for use as a fertilizer. Since ammonium nitrate is the principal ingredient in ANFO, people often refer to ANFO as a fertilizer instead of a blasting agent or explosive material. Ammonium nitrate is a fertilizer, and it will explode under certain conditions. It is a very stable chemical compound, but when anything that will burn (a fuel) is added to it, ammonium nitrate becomes “sensitized” and can be detonated. Since there is so much ammonium nitrate in ANFO, the industry has begun referring to ANFO as a fertilizer.

Blasters also have gotten into the habit of calling ANFO a fertilizer. They could be sensitive to the possibility of vandals want- ing to get their hands on a relatively insensitive explosive material. Even though the semitrailers transporting ANFO must be placarded with “Blasting Agent,” the placards are removed as soon as the shipment reaches its destination. Over-the-road trailers, with some minor modifications, can be classified as Class 5 magazines, approved for the storage of blasting agents. In almost every case, the trailer used to transport the ANFO to its destination will be used to store the material.

Some individuals working for construction companies, government agencies, and even blasting companies have no idea of what a blasting agent is. Since they hear others refer to it as a fertilizer, they do, too.

DANGER TO RESPONDERS

Lack of “Blasting Agent” placards on trailers at construction sites, lack of warning signs indicating the presence of explosive materials (a common practice), and lack of education of employees concerning the hazards contained in trailers all contribute to an apparent disregard for the safety of personnel responding to an emergency at the site.

The U.S. Department of Transportation classifies ANFO as a blasting agent, not an explosive. The difference in definitions between the two is technical. Blasting agents are explosive materials, and they are designed to explode, producing predetermined results. n

FRANK L. FIRE is the vice president of marketing for Americhem Inc. in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He`s an instructor of hazardous-materials chemistry at the University of Akron as well as an adjunct instructor of haz mats at the National Fire Academy. Fire is the author of The Common Sense Approach to Hazardous Materials and an accompanying study guide, Combustibility of Plastics, and Chemical Data Notebook: A User`s Manual, published by Fire Engineering Books. He is an editorial advisory board member of Fire Engineering.

http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-148/issue-10/features/anfo-the-tool-of-destruction.html