Oil refinery explosion in Texas

[ccraker]

http://www.oaoa.com/news/big_13990___article.html/explosion_spring.html

 

[I love puppies!]

Thank god for President's Day. Sounds like most people were off.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

 

[ccraker]

Our photogs and reporters are en route, but I found this photo on the bi-weekly paper's web site in Big Spring, the site of the refinery:

This refinery sits right on the freeway, so I am curious to know if it did any damage to I-20. Also, a junior college is just on the other side of the freeway.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I wish I didn't have to work on President's Day too.

 

[Ace]

Man. Whenever I drive past a big refinery area like that, I wonder why this doesn't happen more often, though.

 

[Norman Stansfield]

First off, it's my hope that there are no serious injuries.

My next immediate thought is, 'OK, now what's gas going up to?'

We had a nice eight-cent jump the other day in the wake of the Venezuelan boycott here.

 

[Oz]

First off, it's my hope that there are no serious injuries.

My next immediate thought is, 'OK, now what's gas going up to?'

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Flash]

Shoot, I thought for a second it was cold-hearted to consider the price of gas ... but I haven't fueled up in a while and it's time.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

First off, it's my hope that there are no serious injuries.

My next immediate thought is, 'OK, now what's gas going up to?'

My thoughts exactly.

I think the oil execs have a big TPIR-style wheel with different amounts on it. After news like this breaks, they spin the wheel and raise prices accordingly.

 

[zebracoy]

That is an incredible picture.

Thoughts are with anyone involved.

 

[alleyallen]

Man. Whenever I drive past a big refinery area like that, I wonder why this doesn't happen more often, though.

You'd be surprised just how often it DOES happen, especially in areas like Texas City and Pasadena.

 

[Steak Snabler]

That is an incredible picture.

Thoughts are with anyone involved.

The reader-submitted art on the link ain't bad either. Nice mushroom cloud ...

 

[Angola!]

Reports say you could see the mushroom cloud up to 170 miles away (read West Texas is very flat). Also, the explosion was felt 100 miles away. Apparently a car was on the freeway near the plant and had all the windows and its windshield blown out.
I wonder if any semi trucks were in the area. I-20 has a lot of truck traffic and you got to think there would be some trucks nearby.

 

[flopflipper]

While today's explosion certainly wasn't close to the degree of the Texas City explosion of 1947, it reminded me of Bill Minutaglio's book about that explosion.

The Texas City explosion was caused by 3,000-plus tons of ammonium nitrate exploding. That blast broke windows in Houston, which was about 40 miles away.

 

[Steak Snabler]

While today's explosion certainly wasn't close to the degree of the Texas City explosion of 1947, it reminded me of Bill Minutaglio's book about that explosion.

The Texas City explosion was caused by 3,000-plus tons of ammonium nitrate exploding. That blast broke windows in Houston, which was about 40 miles away.

For the longest time, my dad lived just off Spencer Hwy in LaPorte, which is just loaded with refineries. I was there one Christmas, and in the middle of the night, I awoke to a sound something like someone slamming the bedroom door. Turns out a boiler had exploded at one of the refineries about 10 miles away. Two or three guys were killed. Scary stuff.

 

[Football_Bat]

Only four injuries ... none life-threatening.

Honest Abe was smiling on Big Spring today.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Only four injuries ... none life-threatening.

Honest Abe was smiling on Big Spring today.

They're damn lucky the plant was closed for the holiday.

 

[Angola!]

Only four injuries ... none life-threatening.

Honest Abe was smiling on Big Spring today.

They're damn lucky the plant was closed for the holiday.

Apparently 170 workers would have normally been inside.

 

[cougargirl]

Our photogs and reporters are en route, but I found this photo on the bi-weekly paper's web site in Big Spring, the site of the refinery:

This refinery sits right on the freeway, so I am curious to know if it did any damage to I-20. Also, a junior college is just on the other side of the freeway.

Holy hell, that's such a picture. My God.

When I head back home, I pass the Valero refinery in northern Delaware and keep an eye on it, in a bit of awe. It's a pretty big spread. I shudder to think of anything like this happening.