What caused the explosion in Las Vegas?
What caused the explosion in Las Vegas?
A windstorm had damaged a fiberglass structure and employees were using a welding torch to repair the steel frame. The USFA report stated that this activity caused a fire that spread rapidly in the fiberglass material, accelerated by nearby ammonium perchlorate residue.
What time did pepcon explode?
The blast happened around 12 noon during the opening round of the Panasonic Las Vegas golf tournament at 3 different courses in the valley. After feeling the initial blast, the mushroom cloud could be seen climbing over the valley and play was halted immediately.
How did the pepcon explosion happen?
The explosion made history According to a NASA case study on the disaster, the PEPCON explosion, which was the result of sparks from a welding torch setting ablaze a fiberglass infrastructure, created the largest domestic, non-nuclear explosion in recorded history.
What would happen if a chemical plant exploded?
By the creation of gases, the build-up of heat, and the reaction, a chemical plant can become the source of serious and debilitating explosions. These can result in serious plant explosion injuries, such as third-degree burns, and even severe property damage that can affect the local community for years to come.
How many people died in the pepcon explosion?
2
PEPCON disaster/Total number of deaths
What is required for an explosion?
Fires and explosions require three elements in order to occur (the ‘fire triangle’): oxygen, fuel and heat.
How do you make ammonium perchlorate?
Ammonium perchlorate is produced from sodium perchlorate by mixing sodium perchlorate solution with ammonium chloride, heating the solution mixture to about 100° C. and then cooling it at a controlled rate to achieve the desired particle size distribution.
What causes an explosion?
An explosion is caused by a rapid expansion of gas from a chemical reaction or an incendiary device. Signs of an explosion may be a very loud sound or a series of noises and vibrations, fire, heat, smoke, falling glass or debris.
Can a plant explode?
Heat and dangerous reactions are the cause of many plant explosions. When gas leaks come into contact with a source of heat, they begin to expand and can explode. If a chemical is released within a hazardous area, it can react with a heat source to cause a serious accident.
Where was the pepcon plant located?
Henderson
PEPCON disaster/Location
When did the Pepcon explosion in Las Vegas happen?
Black smoke billows from the PEPCON plant in Henderson on May 4, 1988, after a fire and explosion rocked the Las Vegas Valley. The explosion killed two people and caused widespread damage. (File Photo) A paramedic relaxes in the command post after a series of explosions at the PEPCON plant on May 4, 1988. The plant manufactured rocket fuel.
Who was the fire chief at Kidd marshmallow factory?
Employees at the nearby Kidd marshmallow factory heard the explosion and also evacuated. The Fire Chief of the City of Henderson, who was leaving the main fire station about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the PEPCON facility, spotted the huge smoke column and immediately ordered his units to the scene.
What was the result of the 1991 Las Vegas explosion?
In the aftermath of the explosions, Nevada enacted 46 regulations for handling ammonium perchlorate, and the 1991 Chemical Catastrophe Prevention Act set limits for chemical storage to prevent another disaster of that magnitude. The effects of the thunderous blasts were felt within a 10-mile radius of ground zero.
How big was the marshmallow factory at PEPCON?
In addition to the PEPCON and Kerr-McGee facilities, there was also a large marshmallow factory, Kidd & Company, about 500 feet (150 m) away, and a gravel quarry in operation nearby (3,000 feet (900 m) to the west). The closest residential buildings were about 1