The texas city disaster is the Largest Non nuclear explosions in the Port of Texas City, Texas.

1. THE TEXAS CITY DISASTER
PRESENTED BY : KAPIL RAI
& YASH GO

2. Introduction
The Texas City disaster was an industrial accident that occurredApril 16, 1947
in the Port ofTexas City,Texas. It was the deadliest industrial accident
in U.S. history, and one of history's Largest Non-Nuclear Explosions.
How it all started?
• Texas City was a seaport located 10 miles north of Galveston on Galveston
Bay and included a large industrial complex of warehouses, with two large
chemical plants, three large oil refineries, oil tank farms and dock area for
both general cargo and petroleum products . It had a population of
approximately 20,000.

3. • These plants drew employees from numerous nearby communities and the
City of Galveston in addition to those residing inTexas City.
• On April 16, threeWorldWar II Liberty ships (mass-produced transports)
were in port. They were given to the government of France as war recovery
aid and was being loaded with 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer in
100-pound paper bags.
• The ship was assigned to the French Line to assist in the rebuilding of
Europe

4. • Ammonium nitrate is a common fertilizer and was also the chemical used in the
1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
• The SS High Flyer was in the next berth and it had been loaded with 1,000 tons
of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and 2,000 tons of sulfur, both in 100-pound paper
bags, and was undergoing repairs.
• Ship and dock crews did not seem to be aware of the combustible, reactive, and
explosive properties of the cargo of either ship.

5. First Explosion: S.S GRANDCAMP

6. • The S.S. GRANDCAMP, a former Liberty ship of 7176 tons about 437 feet
long was owned by the French Government. It was parked atWarehouse
"O" opposite to the Monsanto Chemical Co., plant.
• The ship had previously loaded considerable oil field machinery, drill
stems, it halted onTexas port just for ammonium nitrate.
• On April 16, 1947, around 8:00 a.m. smoke was spotted in the cargo hold of
the SS Grandcamp. Sources states that a discarded cigarette was the
ignition source.

7. • The ship's captain ordered the hatches sealed and steam to be pumped into
the hold to extinguish the fire, because he was concerned that water from
fire streams would ruin the cargo.
• This was unlikely to be effective, as ammonium nitrate(N2H4O3) produces
its own oxygen(by breaking down), thus neutralizing the extinguishing
properties of steam.The fire department was dispatched at 08:10 hours.

9. • The steam pumped into the holds further heated the ammonium nitrate,
which blew off the hatch covers at 08:30 hours, producing large volumes of
orange and black smoke and flames and was attracting spectators .
• A tugboat and a fireboat from Galveston were requested, and firefighters
began to apply hose streams into the hold.The water vaporized from the
intense heat, with little effect.
• The ship exploded at 09:12 hours, before the tugboat and fireboat arrived.

10. Second Explosion : S.S HIGHFLYER

11. • At the time of the explosion of the S.S. GRANDCAMP it was berthed in the
Main Slip alongside Warehouse (Pier) "A". A cargo of knocked-down boxcars
was being loaded.The ships turbines were down for repair making it
impossible for the ship to move without the aid of tugs.
• The first explosion ignited ammonium nitrate in the nearby cargo ship High
Flyer.The crews spent hours attempting to cut the High Flyer free from
her anchor and other obstacles, without success.

12. • About 15 hours after the explosions of the Grandcamp , the High
Flyer exploded, demolishing the nearby SS Wilson B. Keene ship , killing at
least two more and increasing the damage to the port and other ships with
more burning material.
• One of the propellers on the High Flyer was blown off and subsequently
found nearly a mile inland. It is now part of a memorial park and sits near the
anchor of the Grandcamp.

13. DESTRUCTION

14. • The detonated ship , caused great destruction and damage throughout the
port.The tremendous blast sent a 15-foot (4.5 m) wave that was detectable
nearly 100 miles (160 km) off theTexas shoreline.
• The blast leveled nearly 1,000 buildings on land.The Grandcamp explosion
destroyed the Monsanto Chemical Company plant and resulted in ignition of
refineries and chemical tanks on the waterfront.

15. 1. MONSANTO CHEMICAL COMPANY
In the early stages ofWorldWar II, the site of the oldTexas Sugar Refining Co.,
was acquired by the government and Monsanto Chemical Co., constructed
and operated a large modern styrene plant for Rubber Reserve Corp.
The plant supplied a large portion of the styrene used in the manufacture of
synthetic rubber and prior to the explosion a portion of their output
(polystyrene) was being used in the manufacture of plastics by other concerns.
The Defense Plant Corporation had constructed a styrene plant located
adjoining and to the north of this area.The Styrene Area consisted of Pump
House, Dehydrogenation Unit, Distillation Area, Propane Cracking Unit,
Alkylation Unit, Ethylene Area, PropaneTanks, StyreneTanks and Benzol
Storage.

17. CASUALTIES
• More than 5,000 people were injured, with 1,784 admitted to 21 area
hospitals .The exact casualties will probably never be known as many bodies
were blown to pieces, but about 433 bodies have been recovered, of which
about 371 have been identified.
• About 135 were still missing.The injured numbered in the hundreds, the
best available figure is 2,00 to 3,000, many of whom were school children
injured by flying glass and falling partitions, and ceilings.

19. LOSSES
• Approximately 600 automobiles in the Monsanto parking lot and the dock
area were practically a total loss.
• More than 500 homes were destroyed and hundreds damaged, leaving
2,000 homeless.The seaport was destroyed, and many businesses were
flattened or burned. Over 1,100 vehicles were damaged & property damage
was estimated at $100 million ($1.12 billion in today's terms).
• The expenditures for industrial reconstruction were estimated to have been
approximately $100 million ($1.12 billion in today's terms).

21. Legal case
• The disaster triggered the first ever class action lawsuit against the United
States government, under the then-recently enacted FederalTort claims
Act (FTCA).
• On April 13, 1950, the district court found the United States responsible for
a litany of negligent acts of omission and commission by 168 named
agencies and their representatives in the manufacture, packaging, and
labeling of ammonium nitrate, further compounded by errors in transport,
storage, loading, fire prevention, and fire suppression, all of which led to
the explosions and the subsequent carnage.
• Following the explosion, more than 3,000 lawsuits against the federal
government were filed because the ammonium nitrate came from U.S.
ordnance plants. By 1955, Congress resolved the lawsuits by settling the
claims for $16.5 million. Furthermore, the accident resulted in new
regulations for the manufacturing and shipping of chemicals.

22. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Anyone dealing with or handling ammonium nitrate should be fully advised
of the hazardous nature of the chemical and fully instructed as to the proper
methods of storage and handling.
• The proper labeling of the containers is of utmost importance.
• The label should be red in color with the words "Hazardous Chemicals" -
:Ammonium Nitrate" - "Handle With Care" prominently displayed with any
other notations in small type, preferably of some other color.