Acadian Ambulance responding to explosion at nitrogen plant in Donaldsonville

[Bosonic]

Source: NBC

DONALDSONVILLE, LA (NBC33) — Emergency personnel are on the scene of an incident at CF Industries in Donaldsonville. Reports are that an explosion occurred.

A representative with Acadian Ambulance says they are treating at least 5 patients. Two are believed to be in critical condition.

A witness at the scene tells NBC33 News that it was a delivery truck might be involved in the blaze.

According to the company’s website, CF industries is North America’s largest producer of nitrogen. It ships approximately 5 million tons for agricultural and industrial uses each year.

Read more: http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/local-news/acadian-ambulance-respond

[truthisfreedom]

1. I love how they call it a "nitrogen" plant. "Largest producer of nitrogen." Silly.

Nitrogen is free. It's all around us... it's the most abundant element in the atmosphere. What these people produce is fertilizer. From their website: "Today, it produces anhydrous ammonia, urea, and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution, the three most used nitrogen products."

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Ammonium nitrate is a great oxidizer

for explosives. Think Madison 1970 and OK City.

Farmers traditionally used it (with another common ingredient which I won't name here) for blowing stumps.

Oh--and it's also handy for meth production.

[DallasNE]

5. Explosion In West, TX Earlier This Year Too n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Now you know why meth labs keep blowing up. (nt)

[NutmegYankee]

11. The nitrogen in the atmosphere is also useless.

The plant takes that and puts it into useful forms that can be taken up by crops.

As for the explosion, it was the failure of a pressure vessel due to over pressurization. I will be curious to see how that happened given that the ASME Boiler and pressure vessel code requires relief valve protection for that very reason.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. 2nd chemical plant explosion in La. in 2 days....wtf????

Yesterday the explosion at the Williams Olefins plant in Geismar, La., about 20 miles south of Baton Rouge.

The plants are 21 miles apart...hmmmmmm

[kestrel91316]

4. I'm assuming that LA doesn't have much in the way of safety regulations or inspectors.......

They want their freedum and they don't want to pay taxes.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Rather than hijacking the post to stereotype the entire state with a broad brush

let's focus on the interesting co-incidence of 2 plant explosions in 2 days, 21 miles apart, in the same parish (county).

[Thor_MN]

8. Attempting to divert attention to a facet that one posted

is hijacking in and of itself... So, wouldn't it be hypocritical to accuse another of hijacking? Just saying.

The OP is about an explosion, not two.

[Paladin]

9. Yeah, we wouldn't want LA to be treated like TX was here, earlier this week.....(nt)

[NutmegYankee]

10. There was some fair criticism there though.

Connecticut is footing the $50 million bill to rebuilt a perfectly good elementary school building in Newtown. Surely Texas, which is doing far better economically than Conn., can afford to rebuilt a damaged school building without federal assistance.