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. Hot workthe use of tools for cutting, grinding and welding that can create sparksis common at industrial plants, and asphalt plants are no exception. Whats more: Chambers was still alive. The dramatic scenes of the nighttime fire have reverberated across Iranian social media. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The tripwire set off the explosive device that was placed near a fence at 8:32 p.m. Sunday, police said. this week: 4.1 in Mentone , Texas , United States. It asked residents to avoid the area following the blaze, which broke out at around 1 a.m. local time (2 a.m. Across the street, at the U.S. Polyco plant, Patel saw smoke. 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. 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. Plano Fire HARRIS COUNTY, Texas An explosion at an ExxonMobil plant in Texas injured four people early Thursday, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. RELATED: Explosion rocks mysterious Georgia monument called satanic by some, America's Stonehenge by others. Police have said that the two blasts that rocked Austin, Texas, today are related to a similar one that occurred on March 2. There was a pipeline explosion today in Fort Bend County, Texas, and flame could be seen from 30 miles away. 6 fuel oil despite temperatures never reaching the flash point. BERLIN (AP) Nine men suspected of involvement in blowing up dozens of cash machines in Germany and stealing some 5.2 million euros (nearly $5.7 million) have been arrested in the Netherlands and Belgium, German authorities said Thursday. July 21, 2021, 8:49 PM PDT. "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. Nederland Volunteer Fire Department - NVFD, Inc. We've received your submission. "It was like a weird feeling, like a wave and then there was a rumble in my apartment and then the next thing I know, all my pictures in my living room are on the floor. 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. Flames were seen at the Baytown, Texas refinery after a possible explosion. A key indicator of how safe a product might be is its flash pointthe temperature at which it becomes flammable. Several people have been injured after an explosion at the ExxonMobil plant in Baytown, Texas, early on Thursday morning. Over the last decade, at least 17 heated storage tanks containing asphalt or No. MEXICO CITY (AP) Authorities in the Mexican Gulf coast state of Veracruz said 19 people were injured where a pipeline carrying ethane gas exploded. ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) An explosion and fire near an illegal oil refinery site in Nigerias Niger Delta region killed at least 12 people Friday, police said, although local residents reported a much higher death toll. Freeport police said to ask the city manager, who then told ABC13 he was not aware of any release. Courtney Wallace, a BNSF spokesperson, confirmed that an investigation is underway and said 13 of the train's 110 cars derailed, 10 of which continued to burn Tuesday evening. Thanks for contacting us. 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. He said that "for now" there were no indications that nearby residents would need to evacuate the area or shelter-in-place. I could see the flames from the backyard," Branick said. Monday's blasts left one teen dead and Webtoday: 2.5 in Mentone , Texas , United States. A recent publication by the Asphalt Institute, the main trade group for the industry, warned tank owners and operators about the dangers of pyrophoric material formation in asphalt tanks and advised them to evaluate whether their tanks could be affected. Six days earlier, a similar incident in Stafford, Texas left one man injured and another dead. ICN provides award-winning climate coverage free of charge and advertising. A digest of the most pressing climate-related news, released every Tuesday and Friday. "I didnt know what it was. In court records, he is quoted saying that only skin was keeping his foot attached to his leg. Vaggelis Kousioras - stringer, AP. BEIRUT (AP) A British court has ruled a London-based company that delivered the explosive ammonium nitrate to Beirut's port is liable towards the victims of a devastating blast in 2020, Lebanon's Beirut Bar Association said Thursday. Though the incident is still under investigation, Melville Fire Chief David Kaplan said they havent ruled out a pyrophoric explosion. An 18-wheel truck hit a train carrying chemicals and fuels in Cameron, Texas, early Tuesday, causing a huge explosion and starting a fire that is expected to burn for several days. Sabrina Shankman is a reporter for InsideClimate News focusing on the Arctic. One man who lived near the terminal told a local news crew that he heard a loud boom at about 12:49 a.m. and saw that the top of the tank was engulfed by flames. 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. 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. The Milam County town of 5,400, about 72 miles northeast of Austin, was rocked by the boom around 6:45 a.m., according to Cameron Sheriff Chris White. The first 11 cars of the train were filled with gasoline, coal and petroleum products, causing the initial explosion and fueling a fire that was still burning Tuesday evening, White said. She is the author of Meltdown: Terror at the Top of the World. IE 11 is not supported. Harvey Patel was eating lunch inside the Budget Inn Ennis on April 23, 2018 when he felt a shockwave rattle the building. As someone who lives close to the refinery, she said, its very concerning. With more than 2 billion gallons of asphalt or residual fuel, much of it No. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) There is no indication that either a collision or an explosion caused the 1994 sinking of a ferry in the Baltic Sea in one of Europes deadliest peacetime maritime disasters, the accident investigation boards of Estonia, Finland and Sweden said Monday. 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. At least one house was damaged in the blast, and residents were evacuated from the area, according to the outlet. An investigation is underway at Freeport LNG in Surfside Beach after reports of an incident Wednesday. As black smoke wafted from the nearby tank, two men ran over and let Slovak know that someone was missing. But additives are not necessary for a pyrophoric explosion to occur. The local news outlet reported that 20 nearby homes were damaged, but there was no word of any serious injuries or deaths. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) A Swedish prosecutor wants a supplementary crime scene investigation" at the site of explosions that damaged two natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea and said Friday that a preliminary probe concluded the cause was suspected gross sabotage.". "We are keeping them and their families close to our hearts and hoping for a swift and full recovery. One Twitter user recorded feeling the concussion from the explosion 25 miles away. Video footage from the scene shows debris and lumber scattered across the home's yard and into the street. this year: 5.4 in Mentone , Texas 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. Carl Bradley Johansson, 64, of Newport Beach also was sentenced for tax evasion and for using fraud to receive more than $954,000 in COVID-19 relief money, according to the U.S. MORGANTOWN, Pa. (AP) A furnace explosion damaged the roof of a titanium plant in southeastern Pennsylvania on Thanksgiving Day, but no one was injured, authorities said. He said that so far, there appeared to be no adverse impact due to the blaze. 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. Police and multiple fire departments responded at 1 a.m. GAITHERSBURG, Md. For more on this story, follow Erica Simon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The bulletin was released in the wake of several incidents in which workers were killed or injured and includes summaries of 11 incidents, none of which involve residual fuels. Long-term exposure has been associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer, and can damage the nervous system. 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.. Though there were workers at the plant at the time, no one was injured. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. As least 10 people were injured in a fire caused by a natural gas explosion in Texas Friday night, officials said. TPC officials know that at least three tanks have been damaged, but firefighters have not been able to fully assess the harm, Monk said. If you add something that has a different explosive limit, youre going to change the properties of the mixture, he said. 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. WATCH LIVE It was later revealed that there was in fact a construction site explosion in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. 6 fuel oil. After the explosion in Ennis, Tank #17 was left damaged beyond repair and in need of removal. She said her windows, air conditioning unit and television started rattling following what she believed was an explosion. One womanshared a video from her Ring camerathat she believed may have captured the noise. Martinez said she too had concerns about the air quality, but said she was not worried about continuing to live near the plant following the incident. Officer Kyle Tranovich of the Caernarvon Township police department said a skeleton crew of only six people was working in the TIMET Morgantown plant due to the holiday before the 2:30 p.m. GRASS VALLEY, Ore. (AP) A small town in central Oregon was evacuated and five people were hurt due to a hemp manufacturing plant fire Sunday. At least three people were transported to hospital by air ambulance as authorities responded to the "major industrial accident" in Baytown, just over 25 miles east of Houston. At least three people were transported to hospital by air ambulance as authorities responded to the major industrial accident in Baytown, just over 25 miles east of Houston, officials said. On the way to the scene, ABC Houston affiliate KTRK's helicopter noticed the flames could be Gonzalez said initial reports suggested that "some type of explosion" had occurred inside the plant. By Jason Murdock On 1/24/20 at 7:14 AM EST. Humble neighbor flown to hospital after grill explosion, deputies say, 5 victims awarded nearly $30M for 2019 Baytown ExxonMobil explosion, Ohio metal factory explosion kills 1, injures over a dozen others, Reporter arrested during news event on Ohio train derailment, Istanbul explosion leaves at least 6 dead, dozens injured, Restaurant fire intentionally set in Atascocita, fire marshal says, 20-foot segment of Challenger shuttle found 36 years after disaster, Railroad worker dies after explosion caused by fuel, officials say, At least 8 hurt in building explosion, collapse in Chicago, Shelter in place lifted after large fire at Prime Eco plant in Wharton, Risk of car battery failure rises as temperatures increase, Houstonians may hear a loud boom on Saturday, NASA says, Flames extinguished after pipeline explosion in Fort Bend County, Driver dies after explosion at Battle Creek Air Show in Michigan, Refrigerator explodes violently, shattering 4 windows in CA home, Incident at Freeport oil and gas company under control, officials say, Explosion rocks neighborhood near Philadelphia, 4 confirmed dead, Kansas fire caught on video after massive explosion; 2 hurt. 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. Whereas some highly volatile materials can have low flashpoints, like gasoline at -40F or ethyl alcohol at 55F, asphalts can be listed as high as 450 or 500F. Around 1 a.m. on 12/23/2021, a fire occurred at our facility. ET, Rohan Davis, a refinery manager at the ExxonMobil site, said that all four people in hospital appeared to be in stable condition. The noise was also heard and felt in the nearby City of Socorro, according to acity representative. Prior to attending Berkeley, Julia served as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. "Plano Fire-Rescue is working diligently to determine the cause of the blast. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. Laboratory tests have shown that addition of only three volume percent of heptane to Number 6 fuel oil, transformer oil, and asphalt, causes flash point reductions of between 60C and 137C, he wrote in the 1997 study. Yet there is reason to believe that changes in the way asphalt and No. 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. As refineries have gotten more efficient at squeezing every valuable drop of more profitable petroleum products, like gasoline or jet fuel, from crude oil, the products at the bottom of the vacuum stack, like asphalt or No. The Surfside Beach Police Department said the facility had experienced "some sort of explosion," but no evacuation orders had been issued. These kinds of explosions in asphalt tanks have been documented at least since the 1980s. Thats where additives come in. Volkswagen is recalling nearly 42,000 Beetles in the U.S. and Canada because they have potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators. 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. In that case, the blaze was extinguished hours after it began, but Harris County officials said it continued to release toxic pollutants for eight more days. It's about 70 miles south of Houston. No. In the years since, companies increasingly have mixed additives into residual products. The explosion happened Wednesday while a truck was pumping waste chemicals from the Quick Turn Anodizing facility in Guthrie, Todd County Emergency Management Director Daniel Smith told news outlets. GUTHRIE, Ky. (AP) One worker was killed and four others were injured in an explosion at an industrial facility in western Kentucky, officials said. MEXICO CITY (AP) A fireworks explosion at a Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico injured 17 people, authorities said Sunday. 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). The accident occurred Saturday in the township of Huejutla in Mexicos Gulf coast region known as the Huasteca. The county has previously sued ExxonMobil, accusing the company of violating the federal Clean Air Act.