[Oldeconomybuyer]

Explosion Rocks Freeport Chemical Plant

Witnesses Say Homes Shook

Posted: 9:53 a.m. CDT September 13, 2002
Updated: 10:02 a.m. CDT September 13, 2002

FREEPORT, Texas -- An explosion rocked a chemical plant in Brazoria County.

The explosion happened shortly before 9:30 a.m. at the BASF Corp., 602 Copper Road, in Freeport.

Witnesses told News2Houston that the explosion shook their homes and that they could see a large plume of black smoke coming from the plant.

For more information on this breaking story, stay tuned to News2Houston and Click2Houston.com.

[Aggie Mama]

I'm used the the chemical plants and refineries having problems, but I don't know anything about this plant. Watching the local news right now, but they don't have any pictures yet.

[Tazman70]

I wonder if this could be linked to the 300lbs of
ammonium nitrate that was stolen from Austin powder
a few days ago.

[brewcrew]

"Don't worry. Everything's under control. This is not an act of terrorism. Nothing to see here. Move along."

[abishai]

At BASF we done make things, we just make them blow up.

[sonsofliberty2000]

Explosion reported in Freeport
By S.K. BARDWELL
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle

Officials are responding to reports of an explosion near a south Brazoria County chemical plant.

An ammonia railcar apparently exploded near the BASF chemical plant along Highway 332 in Freeport, Freeport police reported.

Highway 332 and parts of other roads nearby are reportedly closed to traffic.

The explosion, which occurred about 9:30 a.m., could be felt for miles away, according to residents.

The BASF production plant, 602 Copper Road in Freeport, has been evacuated, according to workers.

Officials have ordered the plants in the area locked down because of air quality concerns. Reports also indicate that residents along Slaughter Road are being told to stay inside their homes because of the air quality.

Emergency officials are checking wind direction to see which, if any, residential areas could be affected by the blast. For now, residents are being asked to "shelter in place," which means stay indoors.

Charlotte Zwahr said she lives 20 miles from the BASF plant, and heard and felt the explosion. Minutes later, Zwahr said, her husband, a driver for Service Transport who was inside the plant at the time of the explosion, called to say the plant was being evacuated.

Zwahr said a cloud of white smoke was seen over the plant first, then the explosion occurred, and then clouds of black smoke appeared.

Clute police officers said they were deluged with reports of the explosion from area residents who believed it came from the BASF plant, but had not yet been able to reach anyone at the plant.

Some residents said they believed a tank car on a nearby railroad track may have been the source of the explosion.

It is unknown whether anyone has been injured.

More to come as it is available.

[Constitution Day]

This story reminds me of:

[syriacus]

They seem to be having problems with freight trains colliding and danger of explosions in Germany, too. I think two trains collided head-on and a tank car with the highly poisonous gas Epichlorhydrin exploded or is in danger of exploding.

Giftgas-Alarm am Bahnhof

13. September 2002 Norddeutschland

Güterzüge stießen zusammen - Explosionsgefahr

Bad Münder - Die Unglücksstelle am Bahnhof von Bad Münder ist am Tag nach dem Unfall mit Schaum bedeckt. Am Rand des weißen Teppichs stehen Feuerwehrleute und warten. Warten, ob es noch gefährlich wird. "Es besteht immer noch Explosionsgefahr", sagt Feuerwehrsprecher Jörg Grabandt. Mehr als zwölf Stunden ist es her, dass hier zwei Güterzüge frontal zusammengestoßen sind - und die niedersächsische Kleinstadt nahe Hameln nur knapp einer Katastrophe entging.

Ein Kesselwagen mit der hoch giftigen Chemikalie Epichlorhydrin war explodiert.