Posted on 08/03/2004 10:57:37 AM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg
An hour ago I heard Fox News report there has been a chemical plant explosion outside Atlanta. Film showed a large white "chlorine" cloud wafting across the countryside.
Any more word?
(steely)
I'm in GA. WSB TV has the following posted on their website:
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/3610476/detail.html
Explosion Prompts Evacuation
Ammonia Leak Occurred During Maintenance Work, Official Says
ATLANTA -- Two people were injured Tuesday after an apparent ammonia leak occurred inside a south Fulton County warehouse, prompting officials to order the evacuation of the industrial complex and consider evacuating a nearby residential area.
The two-alarm blaze occurred shortly after 11:30 a.m. at Americold Logistics, located in the 6100 block of Xavier Drive. According to the company's Web site, the firm specializes in consumer packaged goods.
It was not immediately clear if the two victims were employees at the facility or if they were emergency responders. According to initial reports, they were overcome by the ammonia after it was released during the accident.
Gary Andrews, a spokesman for the state Department of Natural Resources, said the leak apparently occurred while maintenance work was being performed on a line inside the facility, which is able to hold up to 40,000 pounds of ammonia. He said up to 2,000 pounds of the chemical escaped the building during the accident.
The high concentration of the chemical, which can lead to death if it is inhaled or cause respiratory damage, triggered the blaze, authorities said. Firefighters used their ladder trucks to pour water on the blaze and the building.
Law enforcement authorities ordered several workers in nearby buildings to leave the area out of a fear that the ammonia cloud could spread. Fulton County Officer Gary Sybilis said police have cordoned off an area of 500 feet from the site while crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
Some roads in the area were also shut down.
Hal Justice, a spokesman for Americold, said all of the company's employees have been accounted for. He said the warehouse has 500,000 square-feet worth of space.
Amen,......Infinite Grace and Mercy,......In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen!!!!
(Romans 10:17)
Explosion Prompts Evacuation
Ammonia Leak Occurred During Maintenance Work, Official Says
POSTED: 12:39 PM EDT August 3, 2004
UPDATED: 1:33 PM EDT August 3, 2004
ATLANTA -- Two people were injured Tuesday after an apparent ammonia leak occurred inside a south Fulton County warehouse, prompting officials to order the evacuation of the industrial complex and consider evacuating a nearby residential area.
The two-alarm blaze occurred shortly after 11:30 a.m. at Americold Logistics, located in the 6100 block of Xavier Drive. According to the company's Web site, the firm specializes in consumer packaged goods.
It was not immediately clear if the two victims were employees at the facility or if they were emergency responders. According to initial reports, they were overcome by the ammonia after it was released during the accident.
Gary Andrews, a spokesman for the state Department of Natural Resources, said the leak apparently occurred while maintenance work was being performed on a line inside the facility, which is able to hold up to 40,000 pounds of ammonia. He said up to 2,000 pounds of the chemical escaped the building during the accident.
The high concentration of the chemical, which can lead to death if it is inhaled or cause respiratory damage, triggered the blaze, authorities said. Firefighters used their ladder trucks to pour water on the blaze and the building.
Law enforcement authorities ordered several workers in nearby buildings to leave the area out of a fear that the ammonia cloud could spread. Fulton County Officer Gary Sybilis said police have cordoned off an area of 500 feet from the site while crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
Some roads in the area were also shut down.
Hal Justice, a spokesman for Americold, said all of the company's employees have been accounted for. He said the warehouse has 500,000 square-feet worth of space.
It was ammonia, and about 3 miles downwind of my job.
Ping!
whoops
Just for those who are keeping track, this is the third "accidental" chemical/industrial plant fire/explosion that I can recall occuring since 9/11. The two others were down in Texas somewhere and the southeastern coast. (North Carolina?)
There was also one in Eastern Kentucky last year.
Not saying "move along" but I used to live near Houston and stuff like this was happening in TX before 911.
Actually a few months ago Atlanta went through another accidental chemical spill. This is our second one.
Pure chlorine gas will readily react with the moisture in the air producing HCl, hydrochloric acid, which condensing will appear a white cloud.
Chlorine or ammonia? Ammonia can itself explode under certain very limited conditions, but an ammonia release would be the signal to get out right away.
In fact, Marathon Oil Refinery in Texas City had an explosion last night.
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/080304_local_refineryfire.html
This is a normal fact of life, at least here. BP had an explosion a few months ago.
EXPLOSION AT BUCKS CHEMICAL PLANT
_________________________
1 Worker Suffers Severe Burns
July 29, 2004 — There was an industrial accident at an electronics company in Bristol Township.
Workers have been allowed back into the small industrial park. They got the "all clear" three hours after a chemical explosion that sent three people to the hospital.
It happened at L3 Communications, a company that cleans and recycles electric circuit boards. Employees say this is the first time something like this has happened.
Investigators say workers were mixing Sodium Chloride with something else in a 200-pound poly tank when it exploded.
One worker suffered severe burns and two others were treated for chemical exposure.
The burned worker was taken to Frankford Torresdale Hospital in critical condition. The other two were treated for minor injuries at Lower Bucks Hospital. Workers inside the plant were quickly evacuated.
Emergency personnel converged on the scene, but stopped short of evacuating nearby residents.
(Copyright 2004 by Action News. All Rights Reserved.)
Last Updated: Jul 29, 2004
Ammonia.
Roughly one per year. That is probably below the historical average.
Ammonia is dangerous stuff. There are industrial accidents involving dangerous gasses on a regular basis.
Sometimes accidents are just accidents. Terrorists want us to know they have struck.
I guess you caught wind of it? We had leaks at the local hockey arena every once in a while...what a stink...
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