This is the second in a series of articles. Chaos broke out, as flames erupted from one tank and Chambers co-workers were unsure if he was alive inside the other one. GAITHERSBURG, Md. Neither OSHA nor the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, an independent federal agency charged with looking into industrial chemical accidents, has conducted a systematic investigation of these explosions. 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Pulitzer Prize-winning, nonpartisan reporting on the biggest crisis facing our planet. However, right now it is unclear if an explosion took place. It included a section on the role that additives can play in contributing to these kinds of explosions. One womanshared a video from her Ring camerathat she believed may have captured the noise. In this case it is inside Tank #17, Jones wrote, according to court documents. In that case, it turned out the refinery had previously stored other, more volatile materials in the tank, and small amounts had remained and mixed in with the carbon black, leading to a build up of vapors inside the tank. The tanker had brake failure along a major road in the Ofu council area in Kogi state on Thursday night when it collided with a vehicle obstructing the highway, causing a fireball, a police spokesman told The Associated Press. A fourth person was also being transported to hospital, he said. / CBS/AP. Every day or once a week, our original stories and digest of the webs top headlines deliver the full story, for free. WebShortly before 9 a.m. this morning, loud noises disrupted work in a nitric acid unit at the Invista Chemical Plant in Victoria, Texas. When hydrogen sulfide interacts with oxidized iron inside a tank (in the form of rust, for example), it can form a new compound called iron sulfidea pyrophoric substance that, when exposed to air, can ignite. Her work has been honored by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Society of Environmental Journalists, and she was named a finalist for the Livingston Awards for Young Journalists in 2010 and again in 2015. This story has been shared 128,919 times. CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) Authorities in Moldova said Sunday that specialist teams have carried out controlled detonations of explosives that were discovered in parts of rocket debris that border officials found in a northern village near the countrys border with Ukraine. They cut a hole through the tank wall to extract him. An unexpectedly high concentration of vapors emitted by the heavy oils is likely to play a role in both types of explosions, these experts say. Another personposted, "Anyone else felt a big boom or house shaking just now? Harley said the experience was reminiscent of a similar incident in July 2019, when an explosion and fire broke out at the same facility. Every day or once a week, our original stories and digest of the web's top headlines deliver the full story, for free. However, in many other cases, the causes were either not identified or not publicly released because of the restrictions imposed during litigation., Zaloshs study concluded that flammable vapor concentrations measured in storage tanks of residual fuel oil and of asphalt have shown the presence of flammable concentrations even when the liquid is well below the flash point.. But central to making determinations about safe protocol is knowing the dangers posed by the specific product youre working with. Inside Climate News made repeated attempts to speak with Chambers, but messages left on his phone and email and with his family and his attorney were not returned. He said that so far, there appeared to be no adverse impact due to the blaze. MEXICO CITY (AP) A fireworks explosion at a Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico injured 17 people, authorities said Sunday. Train derailment in Springfield, Ohio as residents ordered to shelter in place, Rape survivor 'sobbed seeing Gabby Petito bodycam vid after same cop did nothing', Daughter of murdered couple linked to Delphi case reveals paranoia, Serena Williams stepmom's debts continue to spiral amid crumbling home battle, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, An explosion was heard in El Paso on December 30 2021, reported that it "sounded like an earthquake. TOWN OF MAPLE GROVE, Wis. (AP) Four people remain hospitalized in Wisconsin burn centers with injuries from a bonfire explosion last week during a party in the Town of Maple Grove, authorities said Thursday. Flames were seen at the Baytown, Texas refinery after a possible explosion. Harvey Patel was eating lunch inside the Budget Inn Ennis on April 23, 2018 when he felt a shockwave rattle the building. Judge Branick told Beaumont TV station KBMT the blast awakened him early Wednesday at his home, and that it initially sounded like someone firing a gun into his house. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas An explosion at an ExxonMobil plant in Texas injured four people early Thursday, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. Several residents on El Paso's eastside heard a loud explosion on the morning of December 30, 2021. Who knows how many tanks around the country are an explosion hazard but have yet to get a spark?. (AP) A fiery explosion that injured more than a dozen people at a Maryland condominium building was ignited by a resident who intended to kill himself and died in the blast, police said. OSHA, the American Petroleum Institute and other organizations have standard protocols to ensure the work is done in as safe a manner as possible. Heptane, one of the main components of gasoline, is a lighter-end chemical that is sometimes included in the additives used in heavy fuels. EVANSVILLE, Ind. These materials are more volatile, can cause greater emissions and become explosive at lower temperatures than asphalt without the additives. 6 fuel oil has a lower flash pointcompanies list it between 140F and 200Fand is stored around 130F. Flames shot out of the top of the damaged tank, and firefighters let the blaze burn out. GAITHERSBURG, Md. At this time, were still collecting all that information, he said, adding: We will conduct a full and thorough investigation., Several residents in the area described feeling their homes shake after what they said appeared to be an "explosion. Prior to attending Berkeley, Julia served as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. TOWN OF MAPLE GROVE, Wis. (AP) Authorities investigating a bonfire explosion over the weekend in eastern Wisconsin said Monday that as many as 40 people might have been injured in the blaze, including some who were seriously hurt. These kinds of explosions in asphalt tanks have been documented at least since the 1980s. People in the surrounding neighborhood were forced to evacuate and seek shelter in a nearby community center until fire crews extinguished the flames four hours later. It also apologized for any disruption or inconvenience that this incident may have caused the community. Chambers was thrown across the catwalk and about 30 feet down into Tank #18, which held a few feet of cold, hardened asphalt, topped by about eight inches of stagnant water. But storage tanks for asphalt and No. Five days after a home exploded in Westworth Village, Atmos Energy said there was "no evidence" to suggest its system was involved. The noise caused a flurry of reaction on social media,with one person questioningif it was a sonic boom from military aircraft. Shrapnel from the tanker tore into residential buildings and into the soccer pitch. "However, we havent found anything yet. Were asking all of you to keep the victims in your prayers.. 6 fuel oil. 6 fuel oil, have become more depleted than in the past, making them hard to work with. TPC EXPLOSION: Home video from early morning explosion in Port Neches! A fire at an ExxonMobil oil refinery in Texas left several people injured early Thursday after what officials and local residents suggested may have been an explosion. Numerous residents of the area reported that it "sounded like an earthquake.". According to the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, the incident happened in an isolated area in a field. Martinez said she stayed up for hours, watching the scene unfold. I could see the flames from the backyard," Branick said. Julia Kane is currently pursuing her masters at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, where she is focusing on narrative writing and investigative reporting. WebIf you or loved one has been injured in a serious accident in a chemical plant refinery accidents, call our San Antonio Plant & Refinery accidents lawyers today. One Twitter user recorded feeling the concussion from the explosion 25 miles away. Atmos Energy Corporation, one of the largest natural gas distributors in the nation, was helping with the investigation. Firefighters who arrived at the scene managed to contain the flames, Fox affiliate KRIV reported. (AP) Twelve people were injured, two of them critically, in an explosion and fire at a Maryland apartment building Wednesday and the residents of one unit have not been accounted for, a fire official said. While the information contained in these trade publications rarely makes its way to the general public, the threat to homeowners and others in residential neighborhoods is real, given the dispersed location of such tanks throughout the country. "Kind of like a little mini earthquake.". But I feel as if this one was louder and bigger than the one in 2019, she said. Port Neches, Texas Two explosions at a chemical plant in Texas put 60,000 people under evacuation orders Wednesday. Firefighters responded to Neptune Welding on Virginia Beach Boulevard just after 11 a.m., news outlets reported. The accident occurred Saturday in the township of Huejutla in Mexicos Gulf coast region known as the Huasteca. he/him. There was a pipeline explosion today in Fort Bend County, Texas, and flame could be seen from 30 miles away. The recall covers Beetles from the 2015 and 2016 model years. Video footage from the scene shows debris and lumber scattered across the home's yard and into the street. ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) A gasoline tanker crashed and then exploded in north-central Nigeria, killing at least 12 people, police said Friday. Nearly a year later, Gloucester City Fire Marshal Patrick Hagan said the explosion is still under investigation, but that pyrophoric material buildup in the tank is one of the hypotheses about what caused it. Thanks for contacting us. Paul Bommer, a petroleum engineer and senior lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, said he once was called as an expert witness in a case in which a tank containing carbon blacka substance similar to asphalt and No. It was very startling, said Harley, who asked that her last name be withheld. Several residents on El Paso's eastside heard a loud explosion on the morning of December 30, 2021. Six people were hospitalized after a home in a Dallas suburb was leveled by an explosion Monday afternoon, fire rescue officials said. this week: 4.1 in Mentone , Texas , United States. WebIncident at Freeport oil and gas company under control, officials say Explosion rocks neighborhood near Philadelphia, 4 confirmed dead Kansas fire caught on video after In many cases, there was hot work or torch heating on or near the tanks, wrote the author, Robert Zalosh. FARMERSVILLE, Texas (AP) A valve leak and a spark of unknown origin combined to cause a North Texas natural gas pipeline explosion last year that killed two workers and injured two others, federal investigators said. The incident investigation will continue," said the company, one of the largest U.S. exporters of liquefied natural gas, or LNG. The bulletin included several key lessons from those accidents, including avoiding the work if possible, monitoring the atmosphere for gas and identifying any potential hazards prior to starting work. This article was produced in collaboration with Berkeley Journalisms Investigative Reporting Program. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The Juarez news outletEl Diarioreported the blast took place on a hill along Camino Real. BAGHDAD (AP) The death toll from a heating gas tank that exploded in a residential complex in northern Iraq has risen to 15, an civil defense official said Friday. RELATED: Explosion rocks mysterious Georgia monument called satanic by some, America's Stonehenge by others. ICN provides award-winning climate coverage free of charge and advertising. TOWN OF MAPLE GROVE, Wis. (AP) Sheriff's investigators in Wisconsin are willing to forgo any possible underage drinking violations in order to get more information about a bonfire explosion that injured more than a dozen people, including some critically, officials said Tuesday. They were hospitalized but their conditions were not immediately known. MINOT, N.D. (AP) A small explosion and fire disrupted care on the third floor of a Minot hospital. A fire burns at ExxonMobil's refinery in Baytown, Texas, on Dec. 23, 2021. Two people remained unaccounted for. CAIRO (AP) A towering blaze at a notorious prison housing political prisoners and anti-government activists in Iran's capital killed four inmates, the country's judiciary said Sunday. The EPA has been aware of problems with the formula since at least 2007, but has not called for its field offices to investigate the emissions or required that companies directly measure and report emissions. Tank explosions occur in two main ways: Vapors ignite after hot torches or other ignition sources are lit nearby, or no ignition source is identifiable and the explosion seems to have occurred spontaneously. She worked as a co-producer, field producer or associate producer on the Frontline films League of Denial (2013); Money, Power and Wall Street (2012); A Perfect Terrorist (2011); Dr. Hotspots (2011) and Law and Disorder (2010). If you have the contamination of higher flash point liquids with lower flash point liquids or the deliberate use of additives and youre not aware of what its doing to the tank vapor space, that could potentially be a hazardous situation, Zalosh said. On Nov. 19, 2014, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, an employee used a torch to heat a clogged valve, igniting flammable vapors in a mostly empty asphalt tank and causing it to explode. The Harris County Sheriff's Office said deputies were responding to the incident and that "some injuries" had been reported. TOWN OF MAPLE GROVE, Wis. (AP) Investigators are recommending criminal charges against two teens in connection with a bonfire explosion at a party in northeastern Wisconsin last month that resulted in critical burns to some in attendance. The soldiers were traveling in an army vehicle a day earlier in the Makhmour district when an explosive device detonated, the state Iraqi News Agency reported. TPC officials know that at least three tanks have been damaged, but firefighters have not been able to fully assess the harm, Monk said. Harley, a 22-year-old living with her boyfriend about two miles from the ExxonMobil facility, said she thought the blast was "a bomb or an earthquake.". As least 10 people were injured in a fire caused by a natural gas explosion in Texas Friday night, officials said. ON December 30, 2021, it was reported that there was a mass explosion in El Paso, Texas. The hole in the sewer undermined the soil beneath the gas pipes, causing them to sag and then crack open. Thus it was the combination of the two circumstances which caused the disaster. The more asphalt is heated, the more hydrogen sulfide is created, and over time, high concentrations can build up. Port Neches, Texas Two explosions at a chemical plant in Texas put 60,000 people under evacuation orders Wednesday. In some states, regulators do not require reporting, based on an incorrect assumption that there are no emissions to report. "There is no risk to the surrounding community. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. She has also reported for ProPublica, the Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press. MADISON, Wis. (AP) Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit Monday against a milling company for multiple violations at a plant that was the scene of a fatal explosion five years ago. QUINTANA, Texas (KTRK) -- No injuries were reported Wednesday after what police initially described as an explosion at a liquefied natural gas terminal near Freeport. No injuries were reported. He said that all other personnel at the facility, which houses a chemical plant, an olefins plant and a 560,500 barrel-per-day oil refinery, according to Reuters, had been accounted for. More such explosions have probably gone unreported, said Kirsten Rosselot, a chemical engineer and the owner of Process Profiles, an environmental consulting firm, who has studied this type of tank. Freeport LNG reported that an incident occurred around 11:40 a.m. at its facility in the 1500 block of Lamar Street at the facility on Quintana Island, according to Brazosport CAER. In these cases, it is unclear whether the workers did. Flames and smoke billowed into the air after the tanker exploded on US Route 15 in Maryland, according to Ron Snyder, public information officer for Maryland State Police (MDSP). MOSCOW (AP) An explosion during repairs on a section of a Europe-bound natural gas pipeline in western Russia killed three people on Tuesday but didnt affect export supplies, officials said. As least 10 people were injured in a fire caused by a natural gas explosion in Texas Friday night, officials said. The presence of these higher volatility molecules means that the concentrations of vapors in the tanks are higher than they used to be, said Rosselot. NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) President Joe Biden said Wednesday it was unlikely that a missile that killed two in NATO-ally Poland was fired from Russia, but he pledged support for Poland's investigation into what it had called a Russian-made missile. The explosion happened just before 8 p.m. when workers for the utility company CenterPoint Energy were trying to shut down a gas line outside a home in the town of Spring, KXAN reported, citing the Harris County Fire Marshals Office. She said her windows, air conditioning unit and television started rattling following what she believed was an explosion. Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to a 10:21 a.m. call of a natural gas odor at 5726 Highland Hills Road in South Dallas, officials there said Wednesday. On the way to the scene, ABC Houston affiliate KTRK's helicopter noticed the flames could be The explosion happened just before 8 p.m. when workers Six people were sent to the hospital and four are missing after a Texas pipeline exploded Friday. She spent four years at sea, serving aboard ships based in Honolulu, Hawaii and Key West, Florida, and two years as the military aide to a flag officer in Alameda, California. 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Another explosion took place on March 23 in Suffolk County on Long Island. Just months before, in March 2019, another fire had also broken out at the refinery. Please enter valid email address to continue. ISLAMABAD (AP) A hotel catering to foreign visitors in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul was attacked Monday and three of the assailants were killed, a Taliban official said. Though each accident had different particulars, all resulted from a flammable vapor coming in contact with an ignition source created by welding or cutting that was performed in, on, or near tanks that contained flammables.. Four people were inside the two-story home when it was heavily damaged by Tuesday's explosion in the city of Princeton, leaving two people hospitalized with burns while a third person complained of back pain, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and State Fire Marshal said. ", Download theNBC News appfor breaking news and politics. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. An asphalt tank at a plant owned by Rason Asphalt exploded in the early afternoon, causing a loud blast that rattled nearby homes. Gasoline is well known to be a volatile liquid and consequently, gasoline vapors are controlled using an internal floating roof to keep oxygen out and the vapors in, averting potential explosions. The cause of the fire was found to be a leaking natural gas line. The explosion, which was captured on video, launched wooden boards, window glass, insulation and other debris at least 100 feet into the air in Evansville, the Evansville Courier & Press reported. U.S. Polyco has countered that R-Tex Services, Chambers employer, was at fault. (AP) A body was found in a Maryland garden-style apartment building a day after an explosion and fire there and investigators are looking into the possibility of a criminal, intentional act, officials announced late Thursday. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, One killed in Jackson Heights apartment building fire, At least five died, including two children, in devastating Rockland County fire, Federal judge upholds demotions of FDNY chiefs, Retired NYC firefighter helps Spirit crew put out fire that broke out on plane. Chantal Da Silva is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital based in London. Across the street, at the U.S. Polyco plant, Patel saw smoke. A Texas pipeline explosion sparked a fire that could be seen from 30 miles away. Inside Climate News uses cookies. "Once the fire is extinguished, we will be able to determine how much product is left in the cars and work to safely remove them from the site," Wallace said in a statement. The Surfside Beach Police Department said the facility had experienced "some sort of explosion," but no evacuation orders had been issued. BERLIN (AP) A ship chartered by the operator of the Nord Stream 1 natural gas pipeline has arrived at the site of last month's explosions under the Baltic Sea to survey the damage, the company said Thursday. Asphalt tanks dont really worry us very much, said Mike Hildebrand, an expert in safety management and hazardous materials who wrote a handbook on emergency response for bulk storage tanks, because compared with other petroleum products, asphalt has a high flash point. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Though there were workers at the plant at the time, no one was injured. "They are indicating that it could take up to two or three days to actually extinguish the entire fire.". Freeport police said to ask the city manager, who then told ABC13 he was not aware of any release. SAN ANTONIO (AP) Authorities on Sunday continued investigating the cause of an explosion that killed three people at a San Antonio construction company. PALMDALE, Calif. (AP) Would-be thieves tried to blow up an ATM in Southern California, but didn't get away with any cash, authorities said. When asked directly what type of chemical may have been released from the tanks, company officials told ABC13 they were not sure, and advised to ask Freeport police. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said there are 33 sites in Texas today, but denied TPRs records request for more information on where they are and who operates them. (AP) An August house explosion that killed three people in a southern Indiana neighborhood has been ruled accidental after investigators traced the blast to a leaking natural gas line in the home's basement, officials said Wednesday. Our #1 newsletter delivers the weeks climate and energy news our original stories and top headlines from around the web. Harley said she was personally concerned about the potential impact incidents like this one and the fire in 2019 could potentially have on air quality. The explosion happened in a remote area in Orakzai, a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, said Mohammad Arif, an adviser for the Mines and Minerals Department. ABC-7 reported the loud boom heard and felt in east El Paso as well as the Lower Valley was in fact an explosion. On Wednesday afternoon, there was a second massive explosion, forcing officials to issue a mandatory evacuation for the four-mile radius surrounding the plant. The impact sent debris flying through the air as frightened homeowners scrambled for cover. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Iran to allow more inspections at nuclear sites, U.N. says, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Texas chemical plant explosions force evacuations, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Watch: Another major explosion just rocked the TPC plant in Port Neches. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. local time, according to a statement from ExxonMobil. Several of our residents were injured," Plano Mayor John Muns said in a statement, reportedKXAS-TV.