General Discussion

Manifestor_of_Light

(21,046 posts)

12. Same thing that devastated Texas City, TX, in 1947.

Thu Apr 18, 2013, 01:47 AM

Apr 2013

SS Grandcamp (first explosion) had 2300 tons of ammonium nitrate.

SS High Flyer (second explosion) had 961 tons of ammonium nitrate and 3,600,000 pounds of sulfur.

Over 561 people officially killed, many others considered missing as they literally blew into bits or burned up. Refineries were set on fire on the waterfront, Monsanto Chemical plant was destroyed.

Explosion blew 6,350 tons of the ship's steel into the air. A two-ton anchor from the Grandcamp was hurled 1.6 miles and landed in a ten foot crater.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_Disaster

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Just saw this stat: "54,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia" in the plant [View all] rainbow4321 Apr 2013 OP

Mayor: Fire Crews Were at Texas Plant Before Blast elleng Apr 2013 #1

The mayor is a volunteer firefighter and was headed that way to help. tammywammy Apr 2013 #6

Holy.Shit. (no pun intended) dorkzilla Apr 2013 #2

... Catherine Vincent Apr 2013 #3

Not only is the ammonium nitrate present but the feeder Arctic Dave Apr 2013 #4

KnR for the link. Appalling beyond words. Hekate Apr 2013 #5

My Aunt lives in a little town close to Waco, not that far away. texanwitch Apr 2013 #7

... tammywammy Apr 2013 #9

Thank you. texanwitch Apr 2013 #10

Are anhydrous ammonia and ammonia nitrate the same thing? Renew Deal Apr 2013 #8

Not the same thing. tammywammy Apr 2013 #13

No PD Turk Apr 2013 #14

Not at all. Ammonia is a flammable gas which forms explosive mixtures in air ... eppur_se_muova Apr 2013 #18

ugh geez Libertas1776 Apr 2013 #11

Same thing that devastated Texas City, TX, in 1947. Manifestor_of_Light Apr 2013 #12

No, ammonium nitrate is a different substance. Bolo Boffin Apr 2013 #15

It's smaller - 54,000 lbs is 27 short tons muriel_volestrangler Apr 2013 #17

Math is hard! Bolo Boffin Apr 2013 #19

Isn't anhydrous a key ingredient used to make meth? Soundman Apr 2013 #16