Chemical plant explosion rocks east Kansas City

Kansas City Star ^ | 2/7/07

[peggybac]

Multiple explosions at a chemical plant shook the Kansas City’s East Bottoms area this afternoon.

The fire from the explosions near Nicholson and Garland sent a huge plume of black smoke drifting over the area north and east of downtown near the Missouri River.

It was not immediately clear what chemicals were involved in the blast.

As flames boiled over the site, firefighters evacuated the area nearby. Northbound Interstate 35 and Front Street were closed, according to police reports.

Jackson County Legislator Henry Rizzo and his son, J.J., were driving along Riverfront Road a few blocks from the plant when they heard and felt the explosion.

“We pulled the car over because we thought we had dropped an axle,” he said. “It felt like we had lost a wheel, which I thought was odd because it’s a brand-new car. Then we saw the black plume go up. I thought it was a terrorist attack.”

Rizzo said his wife, Silvia, a county employee, called concerned due to the lights flickering at the courthouse.

Two large power lines near Front and Riverfront Road were knocked out, firefighters said.

Rizzo said he is anxious about inhaling contaminants and worried about the safety of county employees leaving the courthouse.

“I hope they test the air quickly,” he said.

[Calpernia]

ping

[KYGrandma]

Any one know exactly where this is? My daughter is in Tiffany Springs, and I can't reach her.

[peggybac]

North of downtown KC - there's a map if you click on the link from the Star.

[Turbo Pig]

CemCentral, 910 N. Prospect. Northside of river, by downtown. They've evacuated the area around the Isle of Capri, according to coworker's mother who was evacuated

[peggybac]

I'm at 95th and Nall and can see the dark clouds.

[LurkedLongEnough]

[kinoxi]

Whoa.

[peggybac]

Occurred at Chemcentral - from their website:

CHEMCENTRAL is the world's largest privately held distributor of industrial chemicals with annual sales of more than $1.375 billion. Our targeted key markets include paint, coatings and inks; adhesives, caulks and sealants; household, industrial, and institutional cleaning; personal care and cosmetics; rubber and plastic compounding; and lubricants and metal working. Follow the links on this page for more information.

[Ben Ficklin]

Solvents and thinners.

[BykrBayb]

Acetone.

[thackney]

Our targeted key markets include paint, coatings and inks; adhesives, caulks and sealants...

"CrapGoo goes bang" ping

[humblegunner]

"CrapGoo goes bang" ping

We never actually put cigarettes out in the goo itself,
just on the drums of sealed goo. That was our salvation.

And a lot of dumb luck.

[alfa6]

Another thread here

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1780885/posts

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Calpernia]

Thank you

[alfa6]

You're welcome, just trying to be helpfull :-)

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[8obdmerc]

It is very sad that my nation accepts the incompetence of their people rather than the skills of enemy's