On the morning of April 16, 1947, a fire started on the SS Grandcamp, a cargo ship docked in the Port of Texas City, igniting 2,300 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate fertilizer in its hold. The resulting explosion leveled the dock and surrounding industrial area and ignited two more explosions.
What happened to Texas City?
At 9:12 a.m., the ammonium nitrate reached an explosive threshold from the combination of heat and pressure. The vessel detonated, causing utter destruction within 2,000 feet and extreme damage throughout the port. The tremendous blast produced a 15 ft (4.6 m) wave. The blast leveled nearly 1,000 buildings on land.
When was the big explosion in Texas City?
Texas City explosion of 1947, industrial disaster sparked by the fire and explosion of the SS Grandcamp on April 16–17, 1947, in Texas City, Texas. The blast set off a chain of fires as well as a 15-foot (4.5-metre) tidal wave. Between 400 and 600 people were killed, with as many as 4,000 injured.
What was the big explosion in Texas?
Sixty-six years almost to the day after the Texas City disaster – April 17, 2013 – an ammonium nitrate fertilizer explosion devastated another Texas town. Fifteen people died and hundreds were hurt when a fire inside the West, Texas, fertilizer plant near Waco ignited the chemical.
What happened at BP Texas City explosion?
At approximately 1:20 p.m. on March 23, 2005, a series of explosions occurred at the BP Texas City refinery during the restarting of a hydrocarbon isomerization unit. Fifteen workers were killed and 180 others were injured. Many of the victims were in or around work trailers located near an atmospheric vent stack.
What is Texas City known for?
Texas City is a wonderful city to visit as it is a hidden treasure of nature. The city includes beaches, malls, parks, water sports, museums and other fun filled activities.
How many firefighters died in the Texas City Disaster?
28 firefighters
The blast sent hot shrapnel flying through the sky, puncturing and igniting storage tanks full of oil and chemicals in nearby refineries. Without the 28 firefighters who died in the blast, Texas City was virtually defenseless against a series of secondary explosions and roaring infernos.
What is the biggest accident in the world?
All-cause disasters
| Rank | Disasters | Death toll |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spanish flu | 17–100 million |
| 2 | World War II | 70–118 million |
| 3 | Great Chinese Famine | 15–55 million |
| 4 | Black Death | 75–200 million |
What caused the deadliest industrial accident in history?
The single worst industrial accident in history occurred on December 3, 1984, when some 45 tons of the dangerous gas methyl isocyanate escaped from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India.
What is the biggest explosion in the United States?
The blast displaced 12 million tons of earth. On 6 July 1962 the United States conducted the ‘Sedan’ nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site. The device had an explosive power of 104 kilotons, the equivalent of around eight Hiroshima bombs.
What started the Texas City Disaster?
On the morning of April 16, 1947, a fire started on the SS Grandcamp, a cargo ship docked in the Port of Texas City, igniting 2,300 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate fertilizer in its hold.
What is ammonium nitrate used for?
ammonium nitrate, (NH4NO3), a salt of ammonia and nitric acid, used widely in fertilizers and explosives. The commercial grade contains about 33.5 percent nitrogen, all of which is in forms utilizable by plants; it is the most common nitrogenous component of artificial fertilizers.
What would happen if an oil refinery blew up?
Many chemical plant and refinery explosions lead to serious injuries and even death. Some of the most common injuries caused by industrial explosions include: Burns. The extreme heat and chemical reactions typical of plant explosions can lead to severe burns.
Who owns the Texas City refinery?
Marathon Petroleum Corporation
BP has completed the previously announced sale of its Texas City, Texas refinery and a portion of its retail and logistics network in the Southeast U.S. to Marathon Petroleum Corporation for an estimated $2.4 billion.
What oil refinery blew up?
ExxonMobil oil refinery in Montana rocked by explosion.
Is it safe to live in Texas City?
The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in Texas City is 1 in 33. Based on FBI crime data, Texas City is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to Texas, Texas City has a crime rate that is higher than 87% of the state’s cities and towns of all sizes.
What is the prettiest city in Texas?
Architectural Digest Just Chose the Prettiest Town in Texas: Do You Agree? Architectural Digest recently listed Fredericksburg as the prettiest town in Texas. The Lone Star State has something over 3,300 cities and towns (including unincorporated areas), so for Fredericksburg to stand out, it must be truly special.
What is the coldest city in Texas?
Spanning many climate zones, the United States can experience both extreme hot and cold temperatures.
What changes were made after the Texas City disaster?
The disaster brought changes in chemical manufacturing and new regulations for the bagging, handling, and shipping of chemicals.
What happened in the Phillips disaster?
On October 23, 1989, 23 people die in a series of explosions sparked by an ethylene leak at a factory in Pasadena, Texas. The blasts, which took place at a Phillips Petroleum Company plant, were caused by inadequate safety procedures.
How big was the explosion in Beirut?
A fire at the Beirut port caused the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which had been improperly stored in a port warehouse for six years.