TEXAS DISASTER

The Texas City Disaster, April 16, 1947

The Texas City Disaster, April 16, 1947

Introduction

Texas City Disaster got considered the most dangerous industrial disaster in U.S. history. Officially stated that killed 581 people. From this, 405 got identified, and 63 did not. The remaining 113 people were missing, because many human remains got found not to hear. Among the latter were 27 firefighters who were on board at the time of the explosion Grandcamp. From time to time, there is speculation that the deaths could be more (up to several hundred people), including sailors from other countries, illegal immigrants with their families and travelers. It is interesting that, among the survivors, there were people staying at a distance of only 21 meters from the explosion site. Bodies of the victims in a short time filled the local morgue, and a number of them got placed in the auditorium of the school, pending identification by relatives.

Discussion

The principal events that took place and created an event of such immense scale were humanly error with other incidents. First, departure of Grandcamp got delayed by late delivery of ammonium nitrate to the port, so April 16th got ordered dokers begin loading at 7.00 am instead of 8.00 as got adopted at the port. However, did not get informed about this service port warehouse, which opened them until about 8, and as result dockers from 7.00 to 8.00 were waiting on deck smoking cigarettes at the baggage hold open. However, it got forbidden, but the manager does not enforce dockers smoking ban. About 8.00 delivered fertilizer and dock workers began loading. At about 8.10 in one of the holds, Grandcamp smoke appeared first, then fire. Conditions in the hold could promote spontaneous ignition, but investigators did not rule out sabotage. Fire could also be caused by carelessly ...