Who was playing with matches?

[PA5COR]

Large fire at chemical plant, 100.000 gallons of different highly flammable annd toxic chemicals on fire, several other firms also went up in flames.
Still raging on, link with video.
Marshmallows anyone?:lol:

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/8656988/__Auto_s_in_vlammen_op__.html?sn=binnenland,buiten land
http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/dutch-news/dutch-firefighters-battle-chemical-blaze_121381.html

English site.

[n2ize]

Sounds like a job for FDNY... they'll have that fire knocked down and under control in 15 minutes... Seriously, that is pretty bad. Must be a nightmare for local residents. Hopefully conditions will stay right for the smoke to travel up and away from peoples lungs. Last thing you need is for that studd to start banking down and engulfing a town or a city. Scary stuff.

[PA5COR]

150 firemen, 25 trucks 2 from the airfield and 2 from Shell, the large ones meant to put airplane fires out.
It started raining at 20.00 hours, so most smoke and ingredients were washed down over a large area.
http://gigapica.geenstijl.nl/2011/01/chemical_fire_in_moerdijk_the.html lots of pictures.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-01/06/c_13678100.htm the story

[W3MIV]

Impossible to extinguish. Contain it until the fuel is pretty much exhausted.

[n2ize]

It's equally amazing how fast many of these chemical plants swing back into operation after fires like this. I remember reading about a tremendous industrial fire like this in either upstate NY or Michigan (or someplace west of where I am... LOL). Within a month they were back up to around 80% production capacity.

[PA5COR]

Lots of money to be made, so a quick rebuild is always good.
They had their anual safety check in october, and passed without remarks.
The investigation in why the fire broke out will delay rebuild a bit, but then they will already have ordered the parts and workforce to start the rebuild.

Rotterdam harbour is one of the key harbours in Europe, if not the world in all goods imaginable, including chemicals.
These things can be expected to happen, how good sprinklers and other safety measures are.
The rest is for the insurer to fork out.

[n2ize]

I remember reading about a production facility in the 1930's-40' that used to make celluloid plastic products and cellulose nitrate motion picture film. The roof covering the production floor was on springs so in the event a large batch of celluloid were to catch fire in the enclosed space the explosive pressure produced would literally push the roof open allowing the combustion gases to escape thus causing minimal damage to the facility.

[NQ6U]

I remember reading about a tremendous industrial fire like this in either upstate NY or Michigan (or someplace west of where I am... LOL).

:lol: That covers a lot of territory, John!

[NQ6U]

I remember reading about a production facility in the 1930's-40' that used to make celluloid plastic products and cellulose nitrate motion picture film. The roof covering the production floor was on springs so in the event a large batch of celluloid were to catch fire in the enclosed space the explosive pressure produced would literally push the roof open allowing the combustion gases to escape thus causing minimal damage to the facility.

Ammunition bunkers are also built that way--heavy walls, often banked with dirt, with a roof that's hinged at the top of the walls and not fastened together at the peak. The idea is to channel the explosive blast upwards where it will do less harm.

[w3bny]

Nuke it from orbit...just to be sure.


Ammunition bunkers are also built that way--heavy walls, often banked with dirt, with a roof that's hinged at the top of the walls and not fastened together at the peak. The idea is to channel the explosive blast upwards where it will do less harm.

Unless you are talking about those funneh bunkers I keep seeing out in Tooelle...The ones with the funny VX lettering on them.. Then nothing will keep it from making your day very short and very painful...depending on which way the wind is blowing.

[NQ6U]

New Yorker's view of America:

http://strangemaps.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/newyorker2.JPG

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

THE Industrial explosion happened in Texas City in 1947.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_Disaster
The next big explosion was just a few years ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCcN4SQkb9A

[n2ize]

What is really incredible is when the plant continues to function and produces product in the midst of such a fire.