Justin Chambers arrived at the U.S. Polyco plant in Ennis, Texas, on the morning of April 23, 2018, with a job to do. Even after it exploded, the asphalt tank was on fire for at least 3 hours, putting out thick, dark, toxic smoke into the community.. (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. 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. Asphalt naturally contains both sulfur and hydrogen, which, when they react, form hydrogen sulfide. 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. Numerous residents of the area reported that it "sounded like an earthquake.". 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. Surfside Beach Police Department's Marine Division assisted Port Freeport police and the U.S. Coast Guard on the waterways. 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.". Long-term exposure has been associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer, and can damage the nervous system. Captain Josh Slovak, a 15-year veteran of the Ennis Fire Department at the time, was on the second engine to arrive at the plant. Officials say firefighters were called to Trinity Hospital shortly Two people remained unaccounted for. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Hours after explosions rocked a Texas chemical plant outside Houston early Wednesday, officials said there is no way to know how long a fire at the site will burn. WATCH LIVE this year: 5.4 in Mentone , Texas The dramatic scenes of the nighttime fire have reverberated across Iranian social media. Smoke plumes fill air after 18-wheeler collides with train. Four injured in refinery fire at Baytown, Texas. OSHA, the American Petroleum Institute and other organizations have standard protocols to ensure the work is done in as safe a manner as possible. A barn burned to the ground, and several nearby houses were evacuated, but most people have returned to their homes. "Air quality tests in the area are ongoing. 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. 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. Six people were sent to the hospital and four are missing after a Texas pipeline exploded Friday. But Monk said that "Real time air quality reading collected thus far do not indicate levels of human health concern.". 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. 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. In a statement several hours after the fire broke out, ExxonMobil said its emergency response teams were still working to extinguish the fire. ", Download theNBC News appfor breaking news and politics. Police and fire dispatchers said all local utility companies had been contacted, but none had reported any issues. Gas and electricity was turned off to most of the homes on the street until about 9:30 p.m., when Atmos Energy and Oncor Electric representatives determined it was safe to restore gas and power. White said the driver of an 18-wheel flatbed truck lost control of his vehicle, was unable to stop, swerved around a parked vehicle and into a rail crossing, where his truck struck a passing BNSF train. A key indicator of how safe a product might be is its flash pointthe temperature at which it becomes flammable. The impact sent debris flying through the air as frightened homeowners scrambled for cover. It wasnt long before sirens began wailing and fire engines arrived on scene. They were hospitalized but their conditions were not immediately known. Witnesses in the area described hearing a noise that sounded like a thunderstorm and say they saw a big fireball in the area of the plant. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. MAP EMAIL MADISON, Wis. (AP) Federal regulators have determined that a lack of safeguards during a maintenance shutdown led to a 2018 explosion at an oil refinery in Superior. 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. Webtoday: 2.5 in Mentone , Texas , United States. (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. Rosselot added, The potential for higher vapor concentrations needs to be recognized, so that care is taken to prevent the vapors in these tanks and the vapors being emitted from these tanks from coming into contact with a source of ignition.. 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. Nederland Volunteer Fire Department - NVFD, Inc. Most of the explosions of heated storage tanks have taken place at asphalt plants, but in cities and towns across the country the tanks are often knit into neighborhoods, near schools, daycares and retirement homes. However, the institutes publication acknowledges that the additives can include lighter hydrocarbons. 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. The beaches are not closed, but Quintana Island was reportedly closed to all incoming traffic during the afternoon. On the way to the scene, ABC Houston affiliate KTRK's helicopter noticed the flames could be seen from 30 miles away. The explosion ripped through a section of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod pipeline in the Chuvashia region during repair work. Flames shot out of the top of the damaged tank, and firefighters let the blaze burn out. Whats more, even a small amount of a lower flash point additive could affect the point of ignition of the substance its added to. A fourth person was also being transported to hospital, he said. 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 tripwire set off the explosive device that was placed near a fence at 8:32 p.m. Sunday, police said. The explosion happened in Wallis, Texas, about 50 miles west of Houston. KHOU reports that Mike White, the Jefferson County Emergency Management coordinator, said there are a few chemicals housed at the facility, including Butadiene. At 12:12 p.m., as he stood with one foot on the catwalk and the other on the lid of the Tank #17, Chambers lit his cutting torch, sending sparks flying. Staff with the Childrens Museum of Indianapolis said a frozen sprinkler line had burst, flooding the Welcome Center in the museum that's located on Indianapolis' near north side. 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. Unlike pyrophoric explosions, these explosions were characterized by the use of an ignition source, like a torch, that then lit nearby vapors on fire, triggering an explosion in the tank. Gonzalez said initial reports suggested that "some type of explosion" had occurred inside the plant. The explosion happened in Wallis, Texas, about 50 miles west of Houston. The first blast, which blew out the windows and doors of nearby homes, injured three workers. BAGHDAD (AP) A gas tanker exploded near a soccer field in northeastern Baghdad on Saturday, killing at least nine people and wounding 10 others, according to security officials. You have no clue whats being distributed and being released in the air that could possibly be extremely harmful and toxic.. Every day or once a week, our original stories and digest of the webs top headlines deliver the full story, for free. No injuries were reported. Freeport police said to ask the city manager, who then told ABC13 he was not aware of any release. We are saddened by todays tragedy of a house explosion in our City. 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. All Rights Reserved. Police brought in an explosives detecting dog, though the dog did not discover any explosives or hazardous materials, and police determined that the site was not a crime scene. Environmental and Alaska Native advocates rallied outside the White House ahead of an expected final decision on ConocoPhillips Willow Project. 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. A section of the five-story building in the town of Tymovskoye collapsed after a gas cylinder exploded in one of the apartments at around 5:30 a.m. NEWFANE, Vt. (AP) A man was found dead in a home explosion and fire in the southern Vermont town of Newfane early Friday morning, state police said. 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. 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. 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. The explosion happened just before 8 p.m. when workers It was very startling, said Harley, who asked that her last name be withheld. Heptane, one of the main components of gasoline, is a lighter-end chemical that is sometimes included in the additives used in heavy fuels. 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. BEIRUT (AP) Lebanons top prosecutor Wednesday ordered the release of all suspects detained in the investigation into the deadly 2020 port blast in Beirut and filed charges against the judge leading the probe, he told The Associated Press. In these cases, it is unclear whether the workers did. Texas SWAT commander killed, 4 officers injured in standoff with gunman; suspect captured, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "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. 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 The Asphalt Institute did not respond to questions submitted to them by Inside Climate News. One witness said he believed the missing man had fallen inside the tank that was to be demolished. News Houston Texas Explosion. "We're extremely grateful that nobody was killed," he said. Fire officials said they were joined at the scene by members of the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in addition to Plano police. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) A popular Indianapolis museum was closed for a second straight day Tuesday after recent frigid temperatures caused a pipe to burst, flooding part of the museum, officials said. 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 Officials said the blast could be felt up to 30 miles away, and that by sunrise, toxic plumes could be seen for miles. 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. Volkswagen is recalling nearly 42,000 Beetles in the U.S. and Canada because they have potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators. At least 37 people were injured and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, According to Amy Hodges, the plants spokeswoman, no fire broke out and no one was seriously hurt. It also apologized for any disruption or inconvenience that this incident may have caused the community. 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. The explosion a night earlier in the city of Sulimaniyah destroyed three homes and also injured 16 people. On June 30, 2020, a tank holding asphalt mix at the Blueknight Energy Partners terminal in Gloucester City, New Jersey exploded. Bomb techs with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department responded to reports of an explosion Sunday morning in Palmdale, officials said. Two months before Tank #17 exploded, on Feb. 2, 2018, there had been an explosion in the other tank, Tank #18. It is now common for additives to comprise up to 20 percent of stored asphalt or No. Just months before, in March 2019, another fire had also broken out at the refinery. She said fire crews appeared to contain the blaze within a short time, but by around 10 a.m. local time Thursday morning, smoke was still visible. This is the second in a series of articles. 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. Who knows how many tanks around the country are an explosion hazard but have yet to get a spark?. 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. "I didnt know what it was. She graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a bachelors of science in electrical engineering. A number of other residents took to Twitter to share their concerns following what they too described as an "explosion. The county has previously sued ExxonMobil, accusing the company of violating the federal Clean Air Act. Blast from rail cars carrying gasoline, coal and petroleum product ignited a fire that could take days to put out. 6 fuel oil. Over the last decade, at least 17 heated storage tanks containing asphalt or No. We've received your submission. Six people were hospitalized after a home in a Dallas suburb was leveled by an explosion Monday afternoon, fire rescue officials said. It asked residents to avoid the area following the blaze, which broke out at around 1 a.m. local time (2 a.m. She has also reported for ProPublica, the Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press. Get a daily email of our original, groundbreaking stories written by our national network of award-winning reporters. In the years since, companies increasingly have mixed additives into residual products. All employees have been accounted for, TPC said, confirming two employees and a contractor were injured. 6 fuel oilexploded when a worker opened a hatch, allowing oxygen to enter the tank. Our first priority is people in the community and in our facilities, the company said. Five days after a home exploded in Westworth Village, Atmos Energy said there was "no evidence" to suggest its system was involved. But central to making determinations about safe protocol is knowing the dangers posed by the specific product youre working with. 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. 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. 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. ET, Rohan Davis, a refinery manager at the ExxonMobil site, said that all four people in hospital appeared to be in stable condition. Dont miss a beat. In 2010, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board issued a safety bulletin on preventing worker deaths during hot work in and around tanks. Port Neches, Texas Two explosions at a chemical plant in Texas put 60,000 people under evacuation orders Wednesday. 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.. For decades, companies and regulators assumed that emissions from asphalt and No. TPC EXPLOSION: Home video from early morning explosion in Port Neches! ABC-7 reported that police and fire officials could not explain the noise. The accident occurred Saturday in the township of Huejutla in Mexicos Gulf coast region known as the Huasteca. 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. Firefighters who arrived at the scene managed to contain the flames, Fox affiliate KRIV reported. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. Around 1 a.m. on 12/23/2021, a fire occurred at our facility. Every day or once a week, our original stories and digest of the web's top headlines deliver the full story, for free. With more than 2 billion gallons of asphalt or residual fuel, much of it No. 6 fuel oil. The personnel were killed when an explosive device detonated during a security operation in the Khan area of the Tarmiyah district. Some industry experts believe that the changes in the volatility of the heavy fuel oils from additives may be behind many explosions in tanks containing asphalt and No. Jefferson County Emergency Management coordinator Mike White told the Beaumont Enterprise that five residents were being treated for minor injuries, mostly related to shattered glass. All the victims are believed to be from the energy company. In that incident, more than 60 people were sent for medical evaluation following the blast. Were asking all of you to keep the victims in your prayers.. Officials added that it's not yet clear when the evacuation order will be lifted. 6 fuel oil are processed and stored may be contributing to them, and that workersand residents who live near the tanksmay be at risk. All employees at the facility were accounted for, Houston-based Freeport LNG said in a statement. like, a wave," Sarah Martinez, who lives right across from the plant with her 4-year-old son, told NBC News. LONDON (AP) The death toll in an explosion and fire at an apartment building on the English Channel Island of Jersey has risen from five to seven, police said Tuesday. he/him. Shutterstock As least 10 people were injured in a fire caused by a natural gas explosion in Texas Friday night, officials said. U.S. Polyco has countered that R-Tex Services, Chambers employer, was at fault. 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. Our #1 newsletter delivers the weeks climate and energy news our original stories and top headlines from around the web. 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Police have said that the two blasts that rocked Austin, Texas, today are related to a similar one that occurred on March 2. No injuries were reported and there was minimal property damage as a result. "We have multiple calls reporting a loud boom and we have multiple units investigating at all the different locations callers reported," Enrique Dueas-Aguilar with the El Paso Fire Department told The US Sun. "However, we havent found anything yet. A car further down the train filled with phosphoric acid solution was unhooked and moved to safety before it could be ignited by the burning fuel cars, and a specialized fire crew sent from BNSF arrived with heavy equipment to extinguish the blaze. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. local time, according to a statement from ExxonMobil. 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. It is a colorless gas with a gasoline-like odor, used to produce synthetic rubber products like tires, plastics and other chemicals. 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. BEIRUT (AP) Two soldiers were killed and three were injured in an explosion in northern Iraq, Iraqi state news said Thursday. 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. As someone who lives close to the refinery, she said, its very concerning. Though the incident is still under investigation, Melville Fire Chief David Kaplan said they havent ruled out a pyrophoric explosion. A massive explosion and fire occurred at one of the nations largest ExxonMobil refineries in Baytown, Texas, early Thursday morning, sending several workers to a local hospital. When fugitive vapors are ignited the flame will follow the vapors back to their origination. A shelter-in-place order was also issued, affecting around 5,000 people in the area. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. A figure from the Chemical Safety Board report on the West explosion shows an unidentified ammonium nitrate storage facility. The explosion that injured Chambers was unexpected, but similar accidents had occurred in other places. Thus, the potential of asphalt additives to influence the formation of pyrophoric materials in an asphalt storage tank cannot be ruled out.. We are still checking.". ABC-7 reported the loud boom heard and felt in east El Paso as well as the Lower Valley was in fact an explosion. Inside Climate News uses cookies. These kinds of explosions in asphalt tanks have been documented at least since the 1980s. The blast was so powerful that it sent the 12-foot diameter lid of the tank flying, before it landed on an employees car. The Baytown Fire Department said its crews had not responded to the incident. Overturned gas tanker explodes, killing 1 person. Smoke billows from a fire following an explosion caused by a crash between a train and an 18-wheeler near Cameron, Texas, on Feb. 23, 2021. Police and multiple fire departments responded at 1 a.m. GAITHERSBURG, Md. Engineering experts say that such seemingly spontaneous explosions can be caused by the formation of whats known as pyrophoric material. The word pyrophoric comes from the Greek fire-bearing and means capable of igniting spontaneously upon exposure to oxygen. MINOT, N.D. (AP) A small explosion and fire disrupted care on the third floor of a Minot hospital. 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. It was later revealed that there was in fact a construction site explosion in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Firefighters responded to Neptune Welding on Virginia Beach Boulevard just after 11 a.m., news outlets reported. Several residents on El Paso's eastside heard a loud explosion on the morning of December 30, 2021.