Ammonium nitrate: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:01, 7 July 2005

Revision as of 00:47, 12 July 2005

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* In [[1925]], [[April 4]] and [[May 3]], two carloads, each containing 220 barrels of ammonium nitrate, were dispatched from [[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]] and caught fire in transportation. The barrels were stored in a warehouse with varying humidity for 6 years, so it is believed that they were ignited by friction of their nitrate-impregnated manilla paper lining. Other shipments were reportedly more successful.

* In [[1941]], an explosion of 300,000 pounds (136 tons) killed 100 people in [[Tessenderloo]], [[Belgium]].

* In [[1944]], an explosion occuredoccurred at a bomb-making plant in [[Milan, Tennessee]], killing four.

* The [[Texas City Disaster]] on [[April 16]], [[1947]], when 17,000,000 pounds (7,700 tons) of ammonium nitrate caught fire and then exploded on board of a SS ''Grandcamp'' ship, heavily damaging the port and killing 581 people, injuring over 5,000 more, and igniting a SS ''High Flyer'', which exploded later, costing few more lives. This is the best-known ammonium-nitrate related disaster.

* In [[September 21]], [[2001]], at 10:15 am in the AZF (Azote de France) fertilizer factory in [[Toulouse]], [[France]]. The explosion occuredoccurred in a warehouse where the off-specification granular AN was stored flat, separated by partitions. About 200-300 tons is said to be involved in the explosion, resulting in 31 people dead and 2,442 injured, 34 of them seriously. The blast wave shattered windows in 1.5-3 kilometer distance and the resulting crater was 10 meters deep and 50 meters wide. The exact cause remains unknown. The material damage was estimated at 2.3 billion [[Euro]]s. [http://www.uneptie.org/pc/apell/disasters/toulouse/home.html] <!-- also http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/sep2001/toul-s25.shtml - use it for making a separate article -->

* The [[Ryongchon disaster]] in [[April 22]], [[2004]], in [[North Korea]] is suspected to have a shipment of ammonium nitrate involved, together with other explosives.

(Incidents not involving explosion, resulting only in self-sustaining decomposition or a fire, are not listed here.)