The Associated Press contributed to this report. In that case, the blaze was extinguished hours after it began, but Harris County officials said it continued to release toxic pollutants for eight more days. In some states, regulators do not require reporting, based on an incorrect assumption that there are no emissions to report. In the years since, companies increasingly have mixed additives into residual products. Some industry experts believe that the changes in the volatility of the heavy fuel oils from additives may be behind many explosions in tanks containing asphalt and No. Was there an explosion in El Paso, Texas? | The US Sun On the way to the scene, ABC Houston affiliate KTRK's helicopter noticed the flames could be Hours after explosions rocked a Texas chemical WebThe map below, compiled from data provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is the most accurate nuclear attack map and fallout demonstration available for 2023: (Image courtesy of FEMA and Halcyon Maps) The fallout would rapidly spread, turning targeted cities into whole affected regions. ABC-7 reported that police and fire officials could not explain the Police and fire dispatchers said all local utility companies had been contacted, but none had reported any issues. 6 fuel oil, have become more depleted than in the past, making them hard to work with. Officials confirm latest Austin bombing was triggered by tripwire A fire burns at ExxonMobil's refinery in Baytown, Texas, on Dec. 23, 2021. 6 fuel oilexploded when a worker opened a hatch, allowing oxygen to enter the tank. As least 10 people were injured in a fire caused by a natural gas explosion in Texas Friday night, officials said. CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) Authorities in Moldova said Sunday that specialist teams have carried out controlled detonations of explosives that were discovered in parts of rocket debris that border officials found in a northern village near the countrys border with Ukraine. This article was produced in collaboration with Berkeley Journalisms Investigative Reporting Program. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas An explosion at an ExxonMobil plant in Texas injured four people early Thursday, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. "Once the fire is extinguished, we will be able to determine how much product is left in the cars and work to safely remove them from the site," Wallace said in a statement. Tank explosions occur in two main ways: Vapors ignite after hot torches or other ignition sources are lit nearby, or no ignition source is identifiable and the explosion seems to have occurred spontaneously. A gas explosion in an apartment building Saturday killed at least nine people, including four children, on the island of Sakhalin in far eastern Russia, according local authorities. What happened in Exxon 'explosion' today? | The Sun In some cases workers were injured or killed, and some explosions ignited fires in other, nearby tanks, causing whole neighborhoods to be evacuated. recent investigation by Inside Climate News, Lawmakers Urge Biden Administration to Permanently Ban Rail Shipments of Liquefied Natural Gas, In Pennsylvania, Home to the Nations First Oil Well, Environmental Activists Stage a Peoples Filibuster at the Bustling State Capitol. Environmental and Alaska Native advocates rallied outside the White House ahead of an expected final decision on ConocoPhillips Willow Project. Witnesses in the area described hearing a noise that sounded like a thunderstorm and say they saw a big fireball in the area of the plant. Even after it exploded, the asphalt tank was on fire for at least 3 hours, putting out thick, dark, toxic smoke into the community.. At least one house was damaged in the blast, and residents were evacuated from the area, according to the outlet. A fire at an ExxonMobil oil refinery in Texas left several people injured early Thursday after what officials and local residents suggested may have been an explosion. Download the NBC News app for breaking news, "They have got a lot of people working on it," White said Tuesday evening. Another personposted, "Anyone else felt a big boom or house shaking just now? An 18-wheel truck hit a train carrying chemicals and fuels in Cameron, Texas, early Tuesday, causing a huge explosion and starting a fire that is expected to burn for several days. She spent four years at sea, serving aboard ships based in Honolulu, Hawaii and Key West, Florida, and two years as the military aide to a flag officer in Alameda, California. Gas and electricity was turned off to most of the homes on the street until about 9:30 p.m., when Atmos Energy and Oncor Electric representatives determined it was safe to restore gas and power. PRINCETON, Ind. The employee suffered minor burns, and the tank lid was blown into the air and landed 150 yard away. After the explosion in Ennis, Tank #17 was left damaged beyond repair and in need of removal. A shelter-in-place order was also issued, affecting around 5,000 people in the area. ABC-7 reported the loud boom heard and felt in east El Paso as well as the Lower Valley was in fact an explosion. Pipeline explosion Texas today: Flames from blast could be The more asphalt is heated, the more hydrogen sulfide is created, and over time, high concentrations can build up. In 2019, an explosion caused a massive blaze in the area that processes polypropylene. It wasnt long before sirens began wailing and fire engines arrived on scene. he/him. Inside Climate News made repeated attempts to speak with Chambers, but messages left on his phone and email and with his family and his attorney were not returned. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Two people have together been awarded $10.4 million at trial after a jury found they suffered hearing loss and emotional trauma when they narrowly escaped a natural gas explosion in Portland. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, One killed in Jackson Heights apartment building fire, At least five died, including two children, in devastating Rockland County fire, Federal judge upholds demotions of FDNY chiefs, Retired NYC firefighter helps Spirit crew put out fire that broke out on plane. Long-term exposure has been associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer, and can damage the nervous system. Details Emerge About The Federal VIDEO: Explosion at ExxonMobil plant in Texas injures 4 - WKMG July 21, 2021, 8:49 PM PDT. (AP) An August house explosion that killed three people in a southern Indiana neighborhood has been ruled accidental after investigators traced the blast to a leaking natural gas line in the home's basement, officials said Wednesday. IE 11 is not supported. On Wednesday afternoon, there was a second massive explosion, forcing officials to issue a mandatory evacuation for the four-mile radius surrounding the plant. At a press conference Wednesday night, Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick said that there were also a number of smaller explosions throughout the day. As is often the case in explosions without injuries or fatalities, there was no official investigation into the cause by the fire department or any state or federal regulatory agencies. Unlike pyrophoric explosions, these explosions were characterized by the use of an ignition source, like a torch, that then lit nearby vapors on fire, triggering an explosion in the tank. The explosion ripped through a section of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod pipeline in the Chuvashia region during repair work. News Exxon Texas Explosion. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said there are 33 sites in Texas today, but denied TPRs records request for more information on where they are and who operates them. However, the institutes publication acknowledges that the additives can include lighter hydrocarbons. In this case it is inside Tank #17, Jones wrote, according to court documents. He said that so far, there appeared to be no adverse impact due to the blaze. It was so loud.. The Veracruz state civil defense office said most of the people injured in the explosion Tuesday in the town of Agua Dulce suffered first-degree burns. QUINTANA, Texas (KTRK) -- No injuries were reported Wednesday after what police initially described as an explosion at a liquefied natural gas terminal near Freeport. PLANO, Texas The explosion that destroyed a house in suburban Dallas and heavily damaged the two next door, injuring six people, may not have been an accident, this week: 4.1 in Mentone , Texas , United States. Just months before, in March 2019, another fire had also broken out at the refinery. There is no tolerance level for explosive concentrations of vapors in tanks that are vented to the atmosphereit is unacceptable for these vapors to be near their explosive limit, said Rosselot. Thats where additives come in. in Texas BAGHDAD (AP) Three members of the Iraqi security forces were killed in an explosion north of Baghdad on Wednesday, Iraq's military said. Flames and smoke billowed into the air after the tanker exploded on US Route 15 in Maryland, according to Ron Snyder, public information officer for Maryland State Police (MDSP). Was There an Explosion IE 11 is not supported. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) A popular Indianapolis museum was closed for a second straight day Tuesday after recent frigid temperatures caused a pipe to burst, flooding part of the museum, officials said. Almost instantly, the tank he was standing on exploded. Firefighters responded to Neptune Welding on Virginia Beach Boulevard just after 11 a.m., news outlets reported. An asphalt tank at a plant owned by Rason Asphalt exploded in the early afternoon, causing a loud blast that rattled nearby homes. Heptane, one of the main components of gasoline, is a lighter-end chemical that is sometimes included in the additives used in heavy fuels. TOWN OF MAPLE GROVE, Wis. (AP) Four people remain hospitalized in Wisconsin burn centers with injuries from a bonfire explosion last week during a party in the Town of Maple Grove, authorities said Thursday. ", Download theNBC News appfor breaking news and politics. Texas house explosion that injured 6 may have been intentional Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Iran to allow more inspections at nuclear sites, U.N. says, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Texas chemical plant explosions force evacuations, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Watch: Another major explosion just rocked the TPC plant in Port Neches. Who knows how many tanks around the country are an explosion hazard but have yet to get a spark?. At least 37 people were injured and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, The explosion happened in Wallis, Texas, about 50 miles west of Houston. It is also a possibility it may have happened on the other side of the border. Today's Earthquakes in Texas, United States 6 fuel oil. At a news conference today, Manley said the latest bombing occurred when the two victims either stepped on or kicked a tripwire as they were walking on a sidewalk in the Travis Country neighborhood of Austin. But a 1997 study found that in several cases, fires and explosions had happened in materials like asphalt and No. A car further down the train filled with phosphoric acid solution was unhooked and moved to safety before it could be ignited by the burning fuel cars, and a specialized fire crew sent from BNSF arrived with heavy equipment to extinguish the blaze. 6 fuel oil. Rosselot added, The potential for higher vapor concentrations needs to be recognized, so that care is taken to prevent the vapors in these tanks and the vapors being emitted from these tanks from coming into contact with a source of ignition.. Whereas some highly volatile materials can have low flashpoints, like gasoline at -40F or ethyl alcohol at 55F, asphalts can be listed as high as 450 or 500F. 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In states that do require that emissions be reported, companies estimate them, typically using a formula developed by the petroleum industry that is often wrong and leads to underestimates of vapor pressure and the levels of air pollution the tanks are emitting. "We're extremely grateful that nobody was killed," he said. Though there were workers at the plant at the time, no one was injured. It's about 70 miles south of Houston. ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) A gasoline tanker crashed and then exploded in north-central Nigeria, killing at least 12 people, police said Friday. BEIRUT (AP) A British court has ruled a London-based company that delivered the explosive ammonium nitrate to Beirut's port is liable towards the victims of a devastating blast in 2020, Lebanon's Beirut Bar Association said Thursday. Do not 'push a slower friend down' if you encounter bear: Park Service, Robbery, shooting occur at same time inside Galleria parking lot: HPD, Family holds vigil for 16-year-old killed while riding his dirt bike. But storage tanks for asphalt and No. As refineries have gotten more efficient at squeezing every valuable drop of more profitable petroleum products, like gasoline or jet fuel, from crude oil, the products at the bottom of the vacuum stack, like asphalt or No. It included a section on the role that additives can play in contributing to these kinds of explosions. By The Associated Press. Davis said industrial hygiene staff were monitoring the air quality at the site and fence line following Thursday's fire. No injuries were reported. Five days after a home exploded in Westworth Village, Atmos Energy said there was "no evidence" to suggest its system was involved. At least three people were transported to hospital by air ambulance as authorities responded to the major industrial accident in Baytown, just over 25 miles east of Houston, officials said. At least three people were transported to hospital by air ambulance as authorities responded to the "major industrial accident" in Baytown, just over 25 miles east of Houston. ICN provides award-winning climate coverage free of charge and advertising. Smoke billows from a fire following an explosion caused by a crash between a train and an 18-wheeler near Cameron, Texas, on Feb. 23, 2021. Explosion Damages Homes Thus, the potential of asphalt additives to influence the formation of pyrophoric materials in an asphalt storage tank cannot be ruled out.. Pulitzer Prize-winning, nonpartisan reporting on the biggest crisis facing our planet. Texas house explosion injures 6 people, fire resuce officials say No. A dredging vessel in Corpus Christi hit a submerged pipeline, sparking an "I didnt know what it was. The Surfside Beach Police Department said the facility had experienced "some sort of explosion," but no evacuation orders had been issued. The first blast, which blew out the windows and doors of nearby homes, injured three workers. Chambers climbed to the catwalk and got ready to separate it from the tops of the tanks. ISLAMABAD (AP) A hotel catering to foreign visitors in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul was attacked Monday and three of the assailants were killed, a Taliban official said. Martinez said she too had concerns about the air quality, but said she was not worried about continuing to live near the plant following the incident. Even in amounts far less than companies routinely use, the additives can have a dramatic effect on how explosive a product is, research shows. Smoke rises from trains as firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision near Larissa city, Greece, early Wednesday, March 1, 2023. "It was like a weird feeling, like a wave and then there was a rumble in my apartment and then the next thing I know, all my pictures in my living room are on the floor. BAGHDAD (AP) The death toll from a heating gas tank that exploded in a residential complex in northern Iraq has risen to 15, an civil defense official said Friday. The presence of these higher volatility molecules means that the concentrations of vapors in the tanks are higher than they used to be, said Rosselot. MEXICO CITY (AP) Authorities in the Mexican Gulf coast state of Veracruz said 19 people were injured where a pipeline carrying ethane gas exploded. Please enter valid email address to continue. The dramatic scenes of the nighttime fire have reverberated across Iranian social media. Shankman has a Masters in Journalism from UC Berkeleys Graduate School of Journalism. BERLIN (AP) Nine men suspected of involvement in blowing up dozens of cash machines in Germany and stealing some 5.2 million euros (nearly $5.7 million) have been arrested in the Netherlands and Belgium, German authorities said Thursday. The explosion happened in Wallis, Texas, about 50 miles west of Houston. As a recent investigation by Inside Climate News showed, those increased emissions are going largely unreported by companies. No injuries were reported and there was minimal property damage as a result. It was very startling, said Harley, who asked that her last name be withheld. Prior to attending Berkeley, Julia served as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. For more on this story, follow Erica Simon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Chambers and his team went over the plan and reviewed the permits, including one that cleared the crew to use a cutting torch to detach a catwalk that connected Tank #18, the damaged tank, to Tank #17, an asphalt tank six feet away, according to court documents. RELATED: Explosion rocks mysterious Georgia monument called satanic by some, America's Stonehenge by others. All Rights Reserved. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) Two people were killed Monday when a storage tank exploded at a Virginia welding business, a fire official said. "We have multiple calls reporting a loud boom and we have multiple units investigating at all the different locations callers reported," Enrique Dueas-Aguilar with the El Paso Fire Department told The US Sun. The explosion happened just before 8 p.m. when workers for the utility company CenterPoint Energy were trying to shut down a gas line outside a home in the town of Spring, KXAN reported, citing the Harris County Fire Marshals Office. NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) President Joe Biden said Wednesday it was unlikely that a missile that killed two in NATO-ally Poland was fired from Russia, but he pledged support for Poland's investigation into what it had called a Russian-made missile. Every day or once a week, our original stories and digest of the webs top headlines deliver the full story, for free. A barn burned to the ground, and several nearby houses were evacuated, but most people have returned to their homes. TOWN OF MAPLE GROVE, Wis. (AP) Authorities investigating a bonfire explosion over the weekend in eastern Wisconsin said Monday that as many as 40 people might have been injured in the blaze, including some who were seriously hurt. She is the author of Meltdown: Terror at the Top of the World. Whats more: Chambers was still alive. Julia Kane is currently pursuing her masters at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, where she is focusing on narrative writing and investigative reporting. Speaking at a news conference at around 5:30 a.m. KHOU reports that Mike White, the Jefferson County Emergency Management coordinator, said there are a few chemicals housed at the facility, including Butadiene. The windows on both sides of the building shook, and Patel, the general manager of the motel, said he could feel the blast inside his body. All Rights Reserved. Asphalt tanks dont really worry us very much, said Mike Hildebrand, an expert in safety management and hazardous materials who wrote a handbook on emergency response for bulk storage tanks, because compared with other petroleum products, asphalt has a high flash point. Officials say firefighters were called to Trinity Hospital shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday where the explosion and subsequent fire and smoke caused patients and staff to evacuate the third floor. Four injured in refinery fire at Baytown, Texas. Though the incident is still under investigation, Melville Fire Chief David Kaplan said they havent ruled out a pyrophoric explosion. Two foreign residents were injured when they jumped out of windows to escape, said Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban government's spokesman. WebIncident at Freeport oil and gas company under control, officials say Explosion rocks neighborhood near Philadelphia, 4 confirmed dead Kansas fire caught on video after Flames were seen at the Baytown, Texas refinery after a possible explosion. ABC-7 reported that police and fire officials could not explain the noise. The impact sent debris flying through the air as frightened homeowners scrambled for cover. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas An explosion at an ExxonMobil plant in Texas injured four people early Thursday, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. U.S. Polyco later determined it to be operator error, according to court documents, but did not give any details about the incident. The explosion happened Wednesday while a truck was pumping waste chemicals from the Quick Turn Anodizing facility in Guthrie, Todd County Emergency Management Director Daniel Smith told news outlets. The asphalt in this case was a combination of asphalt and diesel fuel. The explosion a night earlier in the city of Sulimaniyah destroyed three homes and also injured 16 people. Most of the explosions of heated storage tanks have taken place at asphalt plants, but in cities and towns across the country the tanks are often knit into neighborhoods, near schools, daycares and retirement homes. ". Texas She said her windows, air conditioning unit and television started rattling following what she believed was an explosion.