DC Tom Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 On the topic of explosions. You know what would make all this look like child's play? If the barges that come through the inland waterways ever lit. Each one holds about 3,200 tons of product. 6,400 tons of ammonium nitrate and say fuel oil would double the Texas City disaster of 1947. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_disaster ...And the crazy pleasure boats get all bent when they can't lock, share the chamber with say two of these "red flag" barges. Like they would prefer them sitting on wall waiting for lock turn like a ticking timebomb or worse, join them. You never know what some clown will do, you see the same ones smoking and fueling. A bilge explodes on a pleasure craft while its buried in the lock chamber next to these barges? It may get ugly fast. If something goes up under our current safety rules, all I got to worry about is my co-worker & the pilot/captain and his crew. Bad news, deckhands would be the instant goners. Us on the wall might have a fighting chance if we were a 1,000' away & maybe in a brick building. Who am kidding, 1/2 the surrounding neighborhood would feel the explosion. Should I feel a bit at ease that we are not "Mexico?" If we're going to devolve into "big !@#$ing explosions," Pepcon is the end of that discussion (only because Halifax wasn't caught on film.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 If we're going to devolve into "big !@#$ing explosions," Pepcon is the end of that discussion (only because Halifax wasn't caught on film.) Has that been almost 30 years... Wow, time flies... I forgot all all about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Edit: Wow... Reading about the Halifax explosion. We shove through a lot of benzene, toluene... Usually two 54' "jumbo" tankers will hold about 7,000 tons (not sure what the liquid volume is). Empties with the vapors can be just as dangerous... ...but the good news, so much more safety systems in place, hull designs, better opertating protocol, etc... So much more compliance and not a lot is done off the cuff anymore. Yet, if something lit and had a good catalyst next to it, like say jet fuel or gasoline, the potential for big boom is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 A few years back on San Diego Bay for the 4th. There was a computer malfunction and all of the fireworks were lit simultaneously, the company did the show for free the following year to make up for it. But a big Oooops! My bad! You mean this one..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 If we're going to devolve into "big !@#$ing explosions," Pepcon is the end of that discussion (only because Halifax wasn't caught on film.) Pepcon video.... 2nd video with commentary.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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