Chemical Plant Fire

[Mr Hole]

The company that I work for has a Distribution Center in La Porte, not far from the fire. It is shutdown till further notice due to air quality issues.

[Bill]

Today's 'shelter in place' is brought to you by Shell, who let loose a bunch of benzene. I have a crew that has been working next to the Shell plant and we couldn't get to the plant because of road closures. To be fair, you could smell it in the air, so maybe we didn't want to be exposed to it all day anyway.

[Dan Dlabay]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_disaster
In 1947 in Texas City the Grandcamp cargo ship loaded with ammonium nitrate exploded at dock causing massive fires at the refineries. Later that day a second ship explodes and huge section of town was leveled. Over 600 people were killed. I got a first hand account about what happen and the aftermath as my dad was living in Texas City when the disaster happened.

[mrvette]

Tejas city,.....I remember reading about that in screwal daze yet.....

[Mr Hole]

On May 11, 1976, an ammonia truck disaster killed several Houstonians, led to major change

[Bill]

The dike wall holding in the loose, pooled benzene and other chemicals, underneath a thick layer of foam to keep it from vaporizing, has failed. There's a shelter in place order currently for the nearby areas. The fumes from all that newly exposed product will be pretty severe until they can get the new area covered with foam, too.

Twitter

It ain't over 'till the fat lady sings.

[Bill]

UPDATE II: Fire Boogaloo

The fire returns. Once the chemical breached the levee, it was no longer covered by the foam and it ignited.

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

UPDATE II: Fire Boogaloo

The fire returns. Once the chemical breached the levee, it was no longer covered by the foam and it ignited.

Damn.

[Bill]

Update III: It's the End of the Fire as We Know It

Fire's out....for now.