Explosion in Texas

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by tw

Initial reports suggest that attitude did not exist. This facility had no serious safety problems.

However this facility was built in 1962. Grandfathering meant it did not need many safety solutions currently required in newer facilities.

Another question. 540,000 tons of ammonia nitrate were in that facility. At what point is so much in one place too much?

Well, we must be seeing different "initial reports", then.

I've only seen numbers like 20 tons, not 540,000. Mind you, I'm a tad suspicious of the 20 tons figure, because while AN is explosive, that was a bloody big bang for 20 tons. But 540,000? Would that even fit?

And I have seen several sources reporting a lax attitude to safety, not just within the facility, but in Texas authorities. They had only very occasional inspections, trivial fines (one mentioned $30!), and neglected instructions to develop proper risk assessments and ignored instructions to install firewalls, sprinklers, and alarms.