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 Baytown Fire Department said its crews had not responded to the incident. Several residents on El Paso's eastside heard a loud explosion on the morning of December 30, 2021. Smoke plumes fill air after 18-wheeler collides with train. 6 fuel oil despite temperatures never reaching the flash point. Though that is closer to the flash point, it still allows for a buffer. She has also reported for ProPublica, the Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press. 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. The collision between a freight and passenger train occurred near Tempe, some 380 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens, and resulted in the derailment of several train cars. Two people are dead after a chemical leak and explosion Tuesday evening at plant in La Porte, Texas, company officials said. Monday's blasts left one teen dead and 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. Shankman has a Masters in Journalism from UC Berkeleys Graduate School of Journalism. 6 fuel oil, have become more depleted than in the past, making them hard to work with. Tank explosions occur in two main ways: Vapors ignite after hot torches or other ignition sources are lit nearby, or no ignition source is identifiable and the explosion seems to have occurred spontaneously. Six people were hospitalized after a home in a Dallas suburb was leveled by an explosion Monday afternoon, fire rescue officials said. FARMERSVILLE, Texas (AP) A valve leak and a spark of unknown origin combined to cause a North Texas natural gas pipeline explosion last year that killed two workers and injured two others, federal investigators said. Police and fire dispatchers said all local utility companies had been contacted, but none had reported any issues. On Nov. 19, 2014, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, an employee used a torch to heat a clogged valve, igniting flammable vapors in a mostly empty asphalt tank and causing it to explode. 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. An asphalt tank at a plant owned by Rason Asphalt exploded in the early afternoon, causing a loud blast that rattled nearby homes. The explosion a night earlier in the city of Sulimaniyah destroyed three homes and also injured 16 people. A figure from the Chemical Safety Board report on the West explosion shows an unidentified ammonium nitrate storage facility. Vaggelis Kousioras - stringer, AP. In that incident, more than 60 people were sent for medical evaluation following the blast. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The first blast, which blew out the windows and doors of nearby homes, injured three workers. 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. Gonzalez said initial reports suggested that "some type of explosion" had occurred inside the plant. Across the street, at the U.S. Polyco plant, Patel saw smoke. A meteor fell in Mission, Texas today around 5-5:30 pm, making a loud bang, shaking house in a 10 mile radius. We deliver climate news to your inbox like nobody else. More:Texas SWAT commander killed, 4 officers injured in standoff with gunman; suspect captured. 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. 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 "They are indicating that it could take up to two or three days to actually extinguish the entire fire.". An earlier version of this article incorrectly described how gasoline vapors are controlled in storage tanks. The Harris County Sheriff's Office said deputies were responding to the incident and that "some injuries" had been reported. 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. We are saddened by todays tragedy of a house explosion in our City. Deep inside the asphalt tank, Chambers lay, suffering from third degree burns to his face, back and abdomen and a shattered right leg. 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. Over the last decade, at least 17 heated storage tanks containing asphalt or No. RELATED: Explosion rocks mysterious Georgia monument called satanic by some, America's Stonehenge by others. Justin Chambers arrived at the U.S. Polyco plant in Ennis, Texas, on the morning of April 23, 2018, with a job to do. Firefighters responded to Neptune Welding on Virginia Beach Boulevard just after 11 a.m., news outlets reported. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Volkswagen is recalling nearly 42,000 Beetles in the U.S. and Canada because they have potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators. One womanshared a video from her Ring camerathat she believed may have captured the noise. Four injured in refinery fire at Baytown, Texas. A key indicator of how safe a product might be is its flash pointthe temperature at which it becomes flammable. The personnel were killed when an explosive device detonated during a security operation in the Khan area of the Tarmiyah district. 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. 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. On June 30, 2020, a tank holding asphalt mix at the Blueknight Energy Partners terminal in Gloucester City, New Jersey exploded. 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. Six days earlier, a similar incident in Stafford, Texas left one man injured and another dead. Six people were sent to the hospital and four are missing after a Texas pipeline exploded Friday. Harley, a 22-year-old living with her boyfriend about two miles from the ExxonMobil facility, said she thought the blast was "a bomb or an earthquake.". One of the asphalt tanks at the plant had been damaged and needed to be demolished, and the 32-year-old foreman was part of a five-man crew of contractors charged with getting it done. A Texas pipeline explosion sparked a fire that could be seen from 30 miles away. Two people remained unaccounted for. 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. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. GUTHRIE, Ky. (AP) One worker was killed and four others were injured in an explosion at an industrial facility in western Kentucky, officials said. 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. Overturned gas tanker explodes, killing 1 person. WebMost of the booms that people hear or experience are the result of human activity, such as an explosion, a large vehicle going by, nearby construction, or sometimes a sonic boom, but there have been many reports of booms that cannot be explained by man-made sources. Another personposted, "Anyone else felt a big boom or house shaking just now? And I just noticed two picture frames on the wall fall down and the sound and that didnt match up. A construction crew was working with explosives to extract material when the explosion occurred. 6 fuel oil, another heavy oil, have exploded at asphalt plants or terminals around the United States, according to news reports and filings from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. At this time, were still collecting all that information, he said, adding: We will conduct a full and thorough investigation., Several residents in the area described feeling their homes shake after what they said appeared to be an "explosion. Colombia plans to send 70 'cocaine hippos' to India and Mexico, How Paul Murdaugh helped solve his own murder, At least 13 people are dead as severe storms sweep across US. 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. A fire burns at ExxonMobil's refinery in Baytown, Texas, on Dec. 23, 2021. ET, Rohan Davis, a refinery manager at the ExxonMobil site, said that all four people in hospital appeared to be in stable condition. 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. The Veracruz state civil defense office said most of the people injured in the explosion Tuesday in the town of Agua Dulce suffered first-degree burns. It was very startling, said Harley, who asked that her last name be withheld. (AP) A house explosion in southwestern Indiana that injured three people has been traced to a heater that began leaking natural gas during maintenance work, authorities said. It's about 70 miles south of Houston. All Rights Reserved. "Kind of like a little mini earthquake.". Were asking all of you to keep the victims in your prayers.. It included a section on the role that additives can play in contributing to these kinds of explosions. ET). In this case it is inside Tank #17, Jones wrote, according to court documents. Surfside Beach Police Department's Marine Division assisted Port Freeport police and the U.S. Coast Guard on the waterways. When fugitive vapors are ignited the flame will follow the vapors back to their origination. ", Tim Fitzsimons is a reporter for NBC News. According to the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, the incident happened in an isolated area in a field. In some states, regulators do not require reporting, based on an incorrect assumption that there are no emissions to report. 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. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Officials are assessing water damage at the Ohio Statehouse after a pipe burst during freezing weather, sending water pouring into the Senate chamber, an adjacent lounge for lawmakers, and other areas on Tuesday morning. However, the institutes publication acknowledges that the additives can include lighter hydrocarbons. Though the incident is still under investigation, Melville Fire Chief David Kaplan said they havent ruled out a pyrophoric explosion. FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas -- Emergency crews brought the flames from a pipeline explosion in Texas under control about an hour after the blaze occurred. "We're extremely grateful that nobody was killed," he said. We rely on donations from readers like you to keep going. Almost instantly, the tank he was standing on exploded. Who knows how many tanks around the country are an explosion hazard but have yet to get a spark?. 6 fuel oil were negligible because of the heavy nature of the products. The February explosion had no obvious causeno nearby sparks or fires. 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. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Updated on: November 27, 2019 / 9:34 PM She joined InsideClimate in the fall of 2013, after helping produce documentaries and interactives for the PBS show Frontline since 2010 with 2over10 Media. 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. Thats where additives come in. Two months before Tank #17 exploded, on Feb. 2, 2018, there had been an explosion in the other tank, Tank #18. A number of other residents took to Twitter to share their concerns following what they too described as an "explosion. Fire officials said that of the six people hospitalized, one was extricated from the rubble of the home that exploded and the other five were in a home next door. 6 fuel oilexploded when a worker opened a hatch, allowing oxygen to enter the tank. / CBS/AP. Davis said industrial hygiene staff were monitoring the air quality at the site and fence line following Thursday's fire. It wasnt long before sirens began wailing and fire engines arrived on scene. The tripwire set off the explosive device that was placed near a fence at 8:32 p.m. Sunday, police said. Witnesses told local news outlets that they heard a series of booms, which sounded like lightning. EVANSVILLE, Ind. 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.. "There is no risk to the surrounding community. 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. By Jason Murdock On 1/24/20 at 7:14 AM EST. 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. It was later revealed that there was in fact a construction site explosion in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Port Neches, Texas Two explosions at a chemical plant in Texas put 60,000 people under evacuation orders Wednesday. Video footage from the scene shows debris and lumber scattered across the home's yard and into the street. The accident occurred Saturday in the township of Huejutla in Mexicos Gulf coast region known as the Huasteca. MEXICO CITY (AP) Authorities in the Mexican Gulf coast state of Veracruz said 19 people were injured where a pipeline carrying ethane gas exploded. The recall covers Beetles from the 2015 and 2016 model years. Just months before, in March 2019, another fire had also broken out at the refinery. One Twitter user recorded feeling the concussion from the explosion 25 miles away. No. Four people were inside the two-story home when it was heavily damaged by Tuesday's explosion in the city of Princeton, leaving two people hospitalized with burns while a third person complained of back pain, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and State Fire Marshal said. ". Download the NBC News app for breaking news, "They have got a lot of people working on it," White said Tuesday evening. Flames shot out of the top of the damaged tank, and firefighters let the blaze burn out. BEIRUT (AP) Two soldiers were killed and three were injured in an explosion in northern Iraq, Iraqi state news said Thursday. QUINTANA, Texas (KTRK) -- No injuries were reported Wednesday after what police initially described as an explosion at a liquefied natural gas terminal near Freeport. Freeport police said to ask the city manager, who then told ABC13 he was not aware of any release. OSHA, the American Petroleum Institute and other organizations have standard protocols to ensure the work is done in as safe a manner as possible. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas An explosion at an ExxonMobil plant in Texas injured four people early Thursday, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. The explosion happened just before 8 p.m. when workers this year: 5.4 in Mentone , Texas TOWN OF MAPLE GROVE, Wis. (AP) Sheriff's investigators in Wisconsin are willing to forgo any possible underage drinking violations in order to get more information about a bonfire explosion that injured more than a dozen people, including some critically, officials said Tuesday. 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 explosion happened in Wallis, Texas, about 50 miles west of Houston. "Plano Fire-Rescue is working diligently to determine the cause of the blast. Plano Fire Rescue said on Twitter that an explosion was confirmed at the site, but they did not know the cause. 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. 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. Harley said she was personally concerned about the potential impact incidents like this one and the fire in 2019 could potentially have on air quality. 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. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Iran to allow more inspections at nuclear sites, U.N. says, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Texas chemical plant explosions force evacuations, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Watch: Another major explosion just rocked the TPC plant in Port Neches. An investigation is underway at Freeport LNG in Surfside Beach after reports of an incident Wednesday. One witness said he believed the missing man had fallen inside the tank that was to be demolished. In the March fire, prosecutors filed five water pollution charges against the company that owns the petrochemical storage facility after chemicals flowed into a nearby waterway. ON December 30, 2021, it was reported that there was a mass explosion in El Paso, Texas. 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.. this week: 4.1 in Mentone , Texas , United States. Harley said the experience was reminiscent of a similar incident in July 2019, when an explosion and fire broke out at the same facility. PRINCETON, Ind. At a press conference Wednesday night, Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick said that there were also a number of smaller explosions throughout the day. 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. Inside a tank, asphalt is often heated to about 300F, meaning that technically, it should be well below the point at which it could light on fire. Around 1 a.m. on 12/23/2021, a fire occurred at our facility. 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. 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. The blast was so powerful that it sent the 12-foot diameter lid of the tank flying, before it landed on an employees car. She said her windows, air conditioning unit and television started rattling following what she believed was an explosion. In states that do require that emissions be reported, companies estimate them, typically using a formula developed by the petroleum industry that is often wrong and leads to underestimates of vapor pressure and the levels of air pollution the tanks are emitting. 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. Pulitzer Prize-winning, nonpartisan reporting on the biggest crisis facing our planet. In these cases, it is unclear whether the workers did. The plant in Port Neches in southeast Texas, about 80 miles east of Houston, makes chemical and petroleum-based products. Numerous residents of the area reported that it "sounded like an earthquake.". No injuries were reported. ", "I got really scared," Martinez, 27, said. 6 fuel oil has a lower flash pointcompanies list it between 140F and 200Fand is stored around 130F. The explosion of the asphalt tank is a terrifying example of what can happen to dangerous and polluting facilities in our communities, Jeff Tittel, the director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, told a reporter at the time. Inside Climate News uses cookies. Our #1 newsletter delivers the weeks climate and energy news our original stories and top headlines from around the web. Police have said that the two blasts that rocked Austin, Texas, today are related to a similar one that occurred on March 2. WATCH LIVE There was a pipeline explosion today in Fort Bend County, Texas, and flame could be seen from 30 miles away. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. As someone who lives close to the refinery, she said, its very concerning. Fort Bend County Judge KP George said that residents surrounding the area were evacuated as a precaution. All Rights Reserved. Bomb techs with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department responded to reports of an explosion Sunday morning in Palmdale, officials said. Flames and smoke billowed into the air after the tanker exploded on US Route 15 in Maryland, according to Ron Snyder, public information officer for Maryland State Police (MDSP). 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.". It also apologized for any disruption or inconvenience that this incident may have caused the community. By The Associated Press. The cause of the fire was found to be a leaking natural gas line. The explosion, which was captured on video, launched wooden boards, window glass, insulation and other debris at least 100 feet into the air in Evansville, the Evansville Courier & Press reported. GAITHERSBURG, Md. Inside Climate News made repeated attempts to speak with Chambers, but messages left on his phone and email and with his family and his attorney were not returned. 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. 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. like, a wave," Sarah Martinez, who lives right across from the plant with her 4-year-old son, told NBC News. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas An explosion at an ExxonMobil plant in Texas injured four people early Thursday, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. Shortly after 4 p.m., they declared the situation was under control and contained to the immediate affected area of the plant. KHOU reports that Mike White, the Jefferson County Emergency Management coordinator, said there are a few chemicals housed at the facility, including Butadiene. Shrapnel from the tanker tore into residential buildings and into the soccer pitch. According to Amy Hodges, the plants spokeswoman, no fire broke out and no one was seriously hurt. DENVER (AP) A man who put three failed explosive devices inside a worship hall of Jehovahs Witnesses in suburban Denver before killing his wife and himself there on Christmas morning is suspected of causing an explosion at a union building, police said Wednesday. No injuries were reported and there was minimal property damage as a result. ABC-7 reported that police and fire officials could not explain the A barn burned to the ground, and several nearby houses were evacuated, but most people have returned to their homes. Long-term exposure has been associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer, and can damage the nervous system. He ran out of the building to see what had happened. All the victims are believed to be from the energy company. 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. But additives are not necessary for a pyrophoric explosion to occur. 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. There is no tolerance level for explosive concentrations of vapors in tanks that are vented to the atmosphereit is unacceptable for these vapors to be near their explosive limit, said Rosselot. She is the author of Meltdown: Terror at the Top of the World. recent investigation by Inside Climate News, Lawmakers Urge Biden Administration to Permanently Ban Rail Shipments of Liquefied Natural Gas, In Pennsylvania, Home to the Nations First Oil Well, Environmental Activists Stage a Peoples Filibuster at the Bustling State Capitol. They cut a hole through the tank wall to extract him. 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. In court records, he is quoted saying that only skin was keeping his foot attached to his leg. News Exxon Texas Explosion. First published on November 27, 2019 / 5:31 AM. It is a colorless gas with a gasoline-like odor, used to produce synthetic rubber products like tires, plastics and other chemicals.