major explosion reported at fertilizer plant near Waco, TX

Originally posted by magma

Originally posted by IamAbeliever
reply to post by magma

 

Fertilizer, when mixed with other chemicals, is extremely explosive. It was used in the Oklahoma City bombing. But to answer your question, it's uncommon to have an explosion at a plant.

Thanks. I kind thought it was uncommon. It might even be considered rare. Not improbable though.

Fireworks factory explodes in the netherlands, it flattened a big part of the city:





Areal view:

I fear we are gonna be going down a bumpy road so everyone fasten your seat belts.

Originally posted by OneisOne
reply to post by FyreByrd

 

I also heard that audio recording. Video including it here from Fox News: 911 calls after deadly fertilizer plant explosion

Also reported by GMA

Emergency response audio told the story of the chaos among firefighters and others at the scene.
"We need every ambulance we can get this way," said one snippet. "A bomb just went off. It's pretty bad."

"Firefighters down," said another. "There has been an explosion."

So, it seems that there was actually a fire first, the responders were already there, and then this call was made suggesting a bomb.
I'm thinking this more a matter of inaccurate description rather than genuine suggestion of a bomb. I think it's possibly pretty common for people to confuse the meaning of the word with that of an explosion.

It still could go either way, but I am leaning a little more toward this being an incredibly unfortunately timed industrial accident.

reply to post by Phoenix267

Hopefully this is a bad accident. It feels like a bad accident. But with the Boston bombings. This is very scary and will cause people to think someone was behind this.

Well, it didn't catch itself on fire

Has there been any official word that this WAS an accident?

Or are they scratching their heads just like us?

Cirque

Originally posted by Staroth
reply to post by Phoenix267

 

Hopefully this is a bad accident. It feels like a bad accident. But with the Boston bombings. This is very scary and will cause people to think someone was behind this.

Well, it didn't catch itself on fire

We simply do not know at this stage, For example, it could have been a simple electrical fire that got out of hand or a discarded cigarette or anything.

Industrial accidents happen every day all over the world. Not everything has to be a conspiracy.

Not sure if this has been posted on this thread but up in Birmingham this morning there was also a fire raging in a warehouse!!

Skynews:

news.sky.com...

And apparently looters have target the area of the Texas explosion:

news.sky.com...

Originally posted by Rocker2013
So, it seems that there was actually a fire first, the responders were already there, and then this call was made suggesting a bomb.
I'm thinking this more a matter of inaccurate description rather than genuine suggestion of a bomb. I think it's possibly pretty common for people to confuse the meaning of the word with that of an explosion.

It still could go either way, but I am leaning a little more toward this being an incredibly unfortunately timed industrial accident.

It's my understanding that yes, the emergency responders where already there for a fire report when the explosion happened.

And I agree with you about the use of the word "bomb". Many have that word top-of-mind right now with what happened in Boston on Monday. Seems to be an association usage, explosion=bomb.

eerie coincidences aside (Boston bombed on Patriot's Day and this 'explosion' just shy of the Waco 'incident') I / you would think all essential measures would be in place, in a facility/factory such as this, to prevent any sort of fire taking place given the likelihood and possibility of such a disaster occurring?!! Surely stringent safe work practices and procedures were in place to prevent even the smallest possible of occurrence. Should they not have evacuated this premises/area immediately given the possibility of such catastrophe.. would this be rural firefighters attending?? apologies if this has been raised already.. I'm tuning in from Oz at 1am..

Originally posted by CirqueDeTruth
Has there been any official word that this WAS an accident?

Or are they scratching their heads just like us?

Cirque

Signs point to its being an industrial accident.

The fertilizer plant had been in trouble with the EPA for several years and their "emergency plans" (every place that has hazardous chemicals has to file one) considered ONLY a leak of anhydrous ammonia.

They had no plans on how to deal with a fire. Given the explosion, I think that their plans at the town hall were probably out of date.

The EPA is considered "government interference" in some places here in Texas (and you can see the result in our bad air quality in Houston and Dallas-Ft. Worth and in the mess that cement plants and other facilities make in the small towns.)

Originally posted by glitched
eerie coincidences aside (Boston bombed on Patriot's Day and this 'explosion' just shy of the Waco 'incident') I / you would think all essential measures would be in place, in a facility/factory such as this, to prevent any sort of fire taking place given the likelihood and possibility of such a disaster occurring?!!

You would -- except that business owners and lawmakers here agree that EPA regulations interfere with business.

Surely stringent safe work practices and procedures were in place to prevent even the smallest possible of occurrence.

But accidents do happen.

Should they not have evacuated this premises/area immediately given the possibility of such catastrophe

The did. When it worsened, they started evacuating the nursing home and other nearby places.

.. would this be rural firefighters attending??

Yes. The town's population is only 2,700. It's really a tiny little place.

Did anyone hear that there may be a connection between this explosion and the fertilizer plant in Michigan that is Pakistani based. I read a comment that some believe this one company has sabotaged the Texas plant so the Pakistani one can get their tax cuts, grants and other benefits that are being blocked by congress.

I will try and find the post and link it at the moment I am at a loss as to where I read it seeing my com just had a sweep done to it and the resent site visits are gone.

On Nation radio news here in the UK, 10 m ago they said investigators there were treating it as a "crime scene".......

It is now also being reported that the blast was so large, it was captured on a satellite image showing a heat signature. That was a very large explosion.

Now, the question is...was this an atypical 'incident' until responders show and then cue second blast? Plants like this, if there is a fire, have failsafes so this would not happen in cases like this and to soon saying this was a simple industrial accident. Again, too much coincidence.

Need a concise timeline...

Any coincidense that 'OYLMPUS HAS FALLEN' is just coming out at the Cinema?

Originally posted by esdad71
Now, the question is...was this an atypical 'incident' until responders show and then cue second blast?

No, the blast happened when fires reached some of the tanks. Explosions like that in facilities with chemical tanks are not unusual (and have cost lots of lives.)

Plants like this, if there is a fire, have failsafes so this would not happen in cases like this and to soon saying this was a simple industrial accident.

I'm wondering if they did. Their "emergency plan" included plans for a gas leak, but there is no word yet on what kind of plan they gave the local fire department about where chemicals were stored and what kinds of dangers could ensue if the thing caught on fire.

2 Byrd - Super Mod

Thanks for the info.. I was heading more toward the SOP's / regulations / legislation regarding such a facility in such a situation... to quote you - 'they had no plan/s in dealing with such a fire' and 'Town Hall plans were out of date' i don't mean to be a smart arse but can you source that or is that a personal opinion? Self insured or otherwise would require some form of emergency evac prep/ plan to be in place.. given the of magnitude likelihood and possibility of something/anything triggering such a disaster...

it is possible that the fire was started on purpose to lure in the emergency services then once once they were on the scene the terrorists detonated the bomb to maximise casualties

reply to post by Flavian


That's exactly what I said, so what's your point?