The proximity of this facility to residential neighborhoods, including nursing homes and schools is amazing.
The father of a guy that works for me works for a company that owns a bunch of plants like this. In 2004 that company considered buying this plant and Eric's Dad advised them against it due to the crazy location and the likelihood of massive lawsuits in the event of an event like this one.
Eric said his Dad's feeling a little strange today.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
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I'm no expert in zoning or anything like that, but it certainly isn't uncommon to have a chemical facility relatively close to residential areas. Hell, you can find compressed vessels of anhydrous ammonia (and other common chemicals) all over the place.
There used to be a fertilizer plant where Deerfoot Meadows is now. It was in the middle of nowhere when it was built during WWII, but of course the city grew around it. We could've had a similar tragedy if it had an accident.
I'm no expert in zoning or anything like that, but it certainly isn't uncommon to have a chemical facility relatively close to residential areas. Hell, you can find compressed vessels of anhydrous ammonia (and other common chemicals) all over the place.
At levels that would cause an explosion such as this?
At levels that would cause an explosion such as this?
I would bet usually not. I don't know how much ammonia was being stored at that facility, but it clearly was a lot. If I was looking at that facility, I would probably have some concerns about its location but it is very likely that the facility was outside of town at some point. I really don't have any answers here though, just a tragic situation.
There used to be a fertilizer plant where Deerfoot Meadows is now. It was in the middle of nowhere when it was built during WWII, but of course the city grew around it. We could've had a similar tragedy if it had an accident.
There is still one on Barlow at 106 ave SE, Viterra, proximity to schools and residential isn't the same though. And I don't know what they have in there, if it's the same kind of chemicals as the Texas place.
Watching some news reports saying the fire department was at the facility previously in the day then had to respond back later for a rekindle which resulted in this explosion. While they are a volunteer fire department I would expect they knew the dangers of potential fires at this facility. A plant as volatile as that would require pre planning just in case of emergency.
The mayor in the town is also a volunteer firefighter and was saying he was evacuating nearby residents so they must have had some sort of fear of something bad happening.
Still way to early to fully know what happened but this should serve warning to any place that has dangerous facilities so close to town and prepare for emergencies that could happen should there be an incident
Maybe they knew how to deal or they may not have. It is usually up to the business to bring local emergency teams on site and educate them tothe dangers on site and run drills etc. Without having my hazwopper resources on me I'll go out on a limb and say this volunteer department had zero clue how to handle the situation. To the above evacuating to a mile may not be sufficient. As it will collect and flow to low lying areas you often. Have. to keep extending the area. One hazwopper video we have has a cop over three quarters if a mile away hightailing it out of the area as the ammonia cloud rolls toward him
Btw it isn't just fertilizer plants that have ammonia. Any business with extensi.ve rdefridgeration is a good bet to have it. Your can likely find pictures of a downtown ice cream factory in the States after a blow out
Edit: I did goigle it and it is the bordens one from 1983. Also I fully realize that the presence of other chemicals will exasperate the situation.
