Waco Explosion

[Docfeelgood]

Apology NOT ACCEPTED. I do not view this as a valid pretext for celebration.

You don't have to be a dick all the time

[Docfeelgood]

I just woke up......I have family in Waco but I don't think they are anywhere near West.

[Docfeelgood]

[Asher]

Who the **** puts a fertilizer plant in close proximity to TWO schools and across the street from a PLAYGROUND?

Jesus ****ing christ.

[Docfeelgood]

Who the **** puts a fertilizer plant in close proximity to TWO schools and across the street from a PLAYGROUND?

Jesus ****ing christ.

Yep, that's pretty dumb thing to do. Wonder who the dumbass is that did the zoning?

[Guynemer]

Who the **** puts a fertilizer plant in close proximity to TWO schools and across the street from a PLAYGROUND?

Jesus ****ing christ.

If I had to guess, it was probably the other way around, which is worse.

Terrible tragedy. Should have never happened.

[Hauldren Collider]

Apparently, a small fire broke out at the plant, and firefighters came to extinguish it. Water was accidentally sprayed on ammonium nitrate, resulting in an explosion.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20130417-5-to-15-people-confirmed-killed-in-west-fertilizer-plant-explosion-but-officials-fear-dozens-may-have-died.ece

EDIT: I'm not the best at chemistry but it's not clear to me why that would cause an explosion, I think ammonium nitrate is just soluble in water, not explosive...
EDIT 2: Nevermind, it's an endothermic reaction. Which would not cause an explosion...it would just make the building cold...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Very sad stuff.

[Docfeelgood]

How quickly people forget.

The Texas City disaster was the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. history. The incident took place on April 16, 1947, and began with a mid-morning fire on board the French-registered vessel SS Grandcamp which was docked in the Port of Texas City. The fire detonated approximately 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate and the resulting chain reaction of fires and explosions killed at least 581 people, including all but one member of the Texas City fire department.

[MOBIUS]

Who the **** puts a fertilizer plant in close proximity to TWO schools and across the street from a PLAYGROUND?

Jesus ****ing christ.

Texans...

Stuff has a distressing habit of going 'boom' in Texas over the years. Lessons learned and all that...? Nope...?

So, West in the east of the state. Guess they're not too hot on their geography either.

[The Mad Monk]

Industrial accident, not terrorism, I'm sure of that.

[MrFun]

Man. First gay marriage caused the explosions in Boston, and now gay marriage also caused another explosion in Texas.

[SlowwHand]

In a town that small, there are probably no zoning requirements; but as was noted, the plant was probably there first.

[MrFun]

In a town that small, there are probably no zoning requirements; but as was noted, the plant was probably there first.

What does that have to do with gay marriage?

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Apparently, a small fire broke out at the plant, and firefighters came to extinguish it. Water was accidentally sprayed on ammonium nitrate, resulting in an explosion.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20130417-5-to-15-people-confirmed-killed-in-west-fertilizer-plant-explosion-but-officials-fear-dozens-may-have-died.ece

EDIT: I'm not the best at chemistry but it's not clear to me why that would cause an explosion, I think ammonium nitrate is just soluble in water, not explosive...
EDIT 2: Nevermind, it's an endothermic reaction. Which would not cause an explosion...it would just make the building cold...

My guess is its not the Ammonium Nitrate/water chemical reaction that caused the issue but moreso that water was aborbed into the otherwise inert power form and caused the formation of a Ammonium Nitrate solid cake. Due to it semi-crystaline structure it was susceptible to shock effects and thus detonation wherein an otherwise powder simply dissapates shock vibrations. The change of the physical crystalline state was the precursor, most likely. That and of course the already present ignition source.