Arkansas - Explosion rocks plant at Conway, area evacuated

Associated Press | January 6, 2004

[HAL9000]

CONWAY, Ark. (AP) - An explosion rocked a chemical plant in Conway on Tuesday, forcing emergency workers to evacuate parts of an industrial park and a nearby daycare center.

"There were some early reports of people with burns but I am not sure of their status," said Conway Police Lt. Chip Stokes.

The explosion occurred at Detco Industries, on the city's south side, near an airport that was shut down temporarily. The state Emergency Management Department said the company makes chemicals for use in industrial maintenance operations.

Black smoke rising from the site could be seen as far away as Little Rock, 30 miles away. The plume was being carried southward on a light north wind.

Stokes said the explosion occurred about 11 a.m. Emergency workers evacuated buildings within a half-mile, including a day-care center.

Stokes there a number of unknown chemicals in the building and that emergency workers were concerned about the possibility of another explosion. Another dozen or so plants are nearby.

"We've got a thick black smoke coming out of the building," Stokes said.

[50sDad]

Since Mad Cow is "obviously" resulting from the Evil Republicans and Bush's failure to adequately monitor the meat industry...

This Arkansas Disaster is all Bill Clinton's fault!

I mean, if he had really done his job as Governor, this wouldn't have happened, right?

[Terry Mross]

I once lived less than two miles from there.

[sweetliberty]

We have a nuclear power plant too, not terribly far from there...maybe 45 miles or so. That's the first thing I thought of, but the nuclear plant is in Russelville.

Ping.

[appalachian_dweller]

Hi HAL9000,

Could you provide any links to any of this info? Just asking. You've tweaked my curiosity.

[ruoflaw]

Ping!

[sweetliberty]

"I-40 is going to be closed.."

So, what else is new? I-40 around Conway is closed or blocked more than not. That area is an absolute nightmare to drive through on the best days. I can't even imagine what it will be like now. I am thankful I am not working in the area until the end ofnext week.

[TheBattman]

Not HAL9000, but:

http://www.kthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=8249

[r9etb]

I am sure these accidents are fairly common, everyones awareness to it is just heightened now.

They are. When I lived in Houston they happened all the time, and there would be at least a couple of really big explosions (i.e., shake the windows for miles around) every year.

[John H K]

Well, there's a link to an Arkansas newspaper article early in the thread.

The founder of the company that owns the plant that blew up was murdered in what appeared to be a "hit" two years ago, and it's still unsolved.

And the article indicates there are all sorts of rumors flying around the owner and the company.

[appalachian_dweller]

Thanks for the link. Sounds like chaos in the area.

I was hoping to get some history on the plant. HAL9000 spoke of it plant's 'sordid history' in post #19.

[John H K]

They are. When I lived in Houston they happened all the time, and there would be at least a couple of really big explosions (i.e., shake the windows for miles around) every year.

Well, really spectacular industrial explosions like this one, while certainly not very rare, aren't all THAT common.

What has happened in the past on FR is that you do get one of these every few months, but then when it happens, people start frantically digging all over the place in the media, including local news, for ANY industrial fires or explosions of ANY kind, including small non-fatal ones in obscure places (and those ARE really common at chemical plants and refineries) and posting them to FR when they normally wouldn't be mentioned..and THEN you get the "what's up with all these industrial "accidents?" recently posts.

[appalachian_dweller]

>> link to an Arkansas newspaper article early in the thread <<

That's the info I was looking for. Thanks for point out something I should have seen already.

I've got 4 eyes and none of them are working today!

[HAL9000]

Here is the local newspaper in Conway with coverage - www.thecabin.net

[Arkinsaw]

My wife is now unemployed looks like. Very glad that she started working at home last year.

[Arkinsaw]

Everyone is fairly certain that the murder was an ex-husband of an ex-wife.

[Digger]

Conway Ak - the home of Larry Nichols. If interested here is his site for weekly reports. http://www.larrynichols.com.

[Arkinsaw]

I once lived less than two miles from there.

I live within a mile and my wife works there. They just expanded the evacuation to include pretty much everything in the Southeast part of the city.

[Arkinsaw]

Conway Cable is announcing that the expanded evacuation is now on standby until the fire chief can confer with people. Comforting.

[NicNacPattyWac]

if anything happened at ANO, they would have to pry my little fingers off the keyboard during evacuation cause I'll be one of the first to let you know :-)

[Happy2BMe]

Should we be advertising N1?