ANOTHER AMMONIUM NITRATE TRUCK EXPLOSION ON NOVEMBER 19, 2014

ANOTHER AMMONIUM NITRATE TRUCK EXPLOSION - Road train driver unhooked trailer 'moments' before ammonium nitrate exploded, witnesses say

November 19, 2014, 1:40 pm

 Residents more than several hundred metres away reported a loud bang when the road train exploded.

A road train driver inhaled fumes as he desperately unhooked a burning trailer of explosive ammonium nitrate from his truck on the Stuart Highway at Ti Tree last night, witnesses say.

Moments later the trailer exploded with a loud bang, startling residents in the small central Australian community about 200 kilometres north of Alice Springs.

The driver had towed away the two other trailers of ammonium nitrate - a material used in explosives.

It was the fifth road train accident in the Northern Territory in six days, after a truck carrying hot bitumen rolled yesterday, a truck of cattle tipped the day before and two other accidents the previous week.

Police went door-to-door to evacuate residents to the school and establish a one-kilometre exclusion zone.

They were aware a truck carrying ammonium nitrate had exploded in Queensland in September - the blast so powerful it destroyed two firefighting vehicles.

Ti Tree Roadhouse manager Suzie Mcleod was standing in her front yard on the far side of the road when the trailer exploded.

"I don't know a lot about nitrogen but I know it blows up," she said.

"If that nitrogen mixed with fuel you can kiss yourself goodbye.

"When we were looking at it stuff was just leaking from the front of the trailer. Whether it was brake fluid or what have you, we don't know.

"The trailer was right across the road from the roadhouse in the new truck parking bay.

"I can chuck a rock from where I'm standing here."

'I live next door and the whole trailer just went bang'

She said before the new truck bay had been built this year the trucks would park next to the roadhouse.

"It would have been in our front yard," she said.

"With the wind blowing the way it was blowing and having the truck in our front and blowing towards the fuel we would have been in a bit of trouble."

A quick-thinking member of staff had switched off the roadhouse's fuel before the explosion.

"Around about 8:45pm one of my staff members rang me and advised me there was a small fire," Ms Mcleod said.

"He asked me if it was wise to shut the fuel down; I said yes, it was."

"He raced around and called the police and got them down there. He was quite brilliant at it. We had everything in place.

"The next minute I came outside because I live next door and the whole trailer just went bang. It was on fire. It was that quick."

"The fire truck we had here - they started squirting and then realised you can't put water on nitrogen so we were all evacuated."

Ti Tree resident Gordon Hull said 60 to 80 people were evacuated to the school at the northern end of town.

"We were evacuated about 10:30pm," he said.

"We went home at 1:30am but we still had a 300 metre exclusion."

"We have our own fire truck here but then the mob from Alice Springs came up at some stage."

Territory's main highway closed for hours

Senior Sergeant Darrell Kerr said Ti Tree police were called out to the report of a vehicle fire at about 9:00pm.

"The road train consisted of a three flat bed trailers carrying what was believed to be ammonium nitrate fertiliser," he said.

"Witnesses at the roadhouse saw a fire igniting on the left-hand side of the rear axle of the rear trailer.

"No-one was injured. Initially the highway was blocked while an exclusion zone was set up.

"At 2:00am the fire crew declared the fire safe and Stuart Highway was reopened."

There have been a number of such explosions during the last month.  Here are the reports on some of the incidents.

Truck hauling ammonium nitrate caught fire in B.C.

http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2014/11/truck-hauling-ammonium-nitrate-caught.html

Homes were being evacuated near a stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway west Kamloops, B.C., because a semi-trailer hauling the highly explosive ammonium nitrate caught on fire.

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Trailers carrying about 40,000 kilograms of highly explosive ammonium nitrate have been hauled away from the scene of a truck fire that forced the evacuation of homes along the Trans-Canada Highway near Kamloops, B.C.

The stretch of highway, about a 20-minute drive west of the city’s downtown core, was closed for several hours Thursday over concerns for public safety, but reopened at night after the flames in the truck died down without spreading to the cargo.

Driver Rod Cardinal said he was hauling the ammonium nitrate, which can be used in explosives, from Alberta to the Gibraltar Mine near Williams Lake, B.C., on Thursday afternoon when he noticed smoke was coming from underneath his carpet.

“I got pulled over as quickly as I could and I hit it with both my fire extinguishers, and it did absolutely nothing to it,” he said. “That’s when I stopped, hopped out, dropped the trailer, pulled the tractor as far as I could.”

“I got it about 50 feet away.”

Kamloops Fire Rescue did not respond to the call because the incident occurred outside its coverage range.

RCMP Cpl. Cheryl Bush said police extended an evacuation order to a 1,600-metre radius of the fire by 3:45 p.m. “out of an abundance of caution,” and residents were taken to a nearby facility.

Kamloops-Thompson School District Supt. Karl de Bruijn said the accident also delayed homeward-bound students aboard three buses.

He said they were safe and under the care of the drivers.

The RCMP reported the fire began dying down by the early evening and had not spread to the trailers.

Local media were reporting the evacuation order had been rescinded.

The Ministry of Transportation’s DriveBC website reported the highway had reopened before 6:30 p.m.

(Kamloops This Week, CHNL,CFJC)

 

CATCHING FIRE.  ANOTHER Ammonium nitrate TRUCK explodes during transport incident

http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2014/11/catching-fire-ammonium-nitrate-explodes.html

Investigators have been granted access to the site of a catastrophic truck crash and explosion that injured eight people south of Charleville in south-west Queensland.

The truck driver, two fire officers, and two passers-by remain in hospital with serious injuries, while three other rescue workers were recovering at their homes in Charleville.

Emergency crews have described the scene as "war zone", with the explosion leaving a five-metre-wide crater in the landscape.

What happened?

A road train carrying forty-four 1.2 ton bags of ammonium nitrate manufactured for explosives use was involved in a single vehicle accident.  The truck, traveling at night in a remote area, left the road ending-up in a dry creek bed adjacent to a road bridge and in close proximity to a rail bridge.  The vehicle was on fire and the driver was injured.  Two other truck drivers stopped to assist.  The emergency services were called.  A small explosion occurred while the responding police and fire crews were tending to the injured driver.

They relocated to a position further away from the burning vehicle, however, a large second explosion occurred.  All people at the scene sustained injuries, most of them very serious. The road train, two fire trucks and road bridge were destroyed, the rail bridge sustained major structural damage and the police car sustained significant damage.

Ammonium nitrate is liable to explosion when exposed to extreme heat or fire, a combination of heat and pressure, contamination with fuels, organic matter and other chemicals and subjected to stimuli capable of causing an explosion, or a combination of any of these.

Recommendations

These are general recommendations and do not reflect the findings or recommendations of the ongoing investigation into the nature and cause of this incident.

Transporters review their safety management systems to ensure the risks with the transport of ammonium nitrate are controlled to prevent an accident that may lead to an explosion and the consequences of any accident are minimised including:

1. Ensure vehicle maintenance is of a standard to prevent road accidents.

2. Drivers are trained, have appropriate experience and procedures are in place to ensure they are fit for work.

3. The hazards and risks in an emergency situation involving ammonium nitrate are understood and communicated to those involved in emergency response.

4. Emergency response procedures are adequate, well understood and practiced.

5. The vehicle fire fighting equipment is appropriate and serviceable and operators are trained in its use.

6. The In Vehicle Monitoring System and GPS tracking systems are operating correctly.

Ensure that the requirements and provisions of the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road or Rail are complied with.

Investigators have been granted access to the site of a catastrophic truck crash and explosion that injured eight people south of Charleville in south-west Queensland.

The truck driver, two fire officers, and two passers-by remain in hospital with serious injuries, while three other rescue workers were recovering at their homes in Charleville.

Emergency crews have described the scene as "war zone", with the explosion leaving a five-metre-wide crater in the landscape.

A two-kilometre exclusion zone was declared after the truck, carting more than 50 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, crashed and rolled about 10:00pm (AEST) on Friday.

Police said the blast was so powerful it "disintegrated" the truck, destroyed firefighting vehicles and two bridges, and blew a hole in the Mitchell Highway.

Authorities said it was a miracle no-one lost their life.

You have a look at the road behind you and there is no road behind you - it's going to take weeks, if not months, to clean up.

Fire Inspector Warren Buckley

The site of the explosion was deemed too unsafe for authorities to enter on Sunday, but police and forensic experts have now been granted access.

Fire Inspector Warren Buckley said investigators would be looking at the incident for some time.

"You have a look at the road behind you and there is no road behind you - it's going to take weeks, if not months, to clean up," he said.

"This is a first in 26 years of firefighting - it's not often we come across these major events and our crews are extremely lucky."

Assistant Fire Commissioner Tom Dawson praised the actions of the officers.

"Without doubt, the courage shown by the crews and to experience this experience and survive it - I've got the greatest admiration for those on scene," he said.

Three remain in hospital

The 33-year-old truck driver was in an induced coma at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, with his pregnant wife by his side.

Two firefighters remain in the Toowoomba hospital with internal bruising and serious damage to their ear drums and were in a stable condition.

Rescue crews were trying to extract the driver from the truck when they found out there was ammonium nitrate inside.

They were making a mad dash from the truck when it exploded.

Inspectors said it was the slight rise of 1.5 metres from where the truck rolled under the bridge to where they were standing that ultimately save their lives.

It was the second accident in Queensland involving transportation of the hazardous chemical. The last was in Taroom in 1972.

The owner of the truck, Kalari, said it was deeply saddened that people were injured in the explosion and that their welfare was the company's priority.

In a statement, Kalari said it had stopped the service route pending more information about the incident.

Authorities preparing 100-kilometre detour

Queensland Transport Minister Scott Emerson said officers from his department were investigating the accident and the road would be closed for some time.

The Department of Main Roads was preparing a 100-kilometre detour to Cunnamulla for traffic in the area, along the Charleville-Bollon Road.

"There are rules in place both in terms of signage and particular routes that they are allowed to carry dangerous goods and obviously we'll be talking to police about whether anything was done wrong," Mr Emerson said.

"The road will remain closed indefinitely until the area is deemed safe.

"The Department of Main Roads is still working on an interim detour."

CHEMICAL EXPLOSION IN CALIFORNIA ON NOVEMBER 18, 2014. DOZENS WENT TO THE HOSPITAL.

CHEMICAL EXPLOSION IN CALIFORNIA.  DOZENS WENT TO THE HOSPITAL.

A mysterious chemical mixture burst into flames at a Ventura County waste facility on Tuesday, sending dozens to hospitals for decontamination and emptying homes and businesses for a mile around the plant before the danger eased, authorities said.

A vacuum truck exploded into flames about 3:45 a.m. at the Santa Clara Waste Water Co., spreading about 1,200 gallons of a mysterious waste chemical mixture that contained sulfuric acid and a highly combustible organic peroxide, fire officials said.

"As the liquid began to dry out, the (fire engine) companies on scene noticed that it was very unstable and reactive," Ventura County fire Capt. Mike Lindbery said. "As they stepped on it or tried to move their engine, it would spontaneously ignite under the tire of the engine or their boots."

No burn injuries were reported, but two drivers on a vacuum truck, three firefighters, hospital medical staff and a few nearby residents were washed down or treated for complaints such as breathing problems, red eyes and skin rashes, said Lori Ross, a spokeswoman for the Ventura County Fire Department.

TOP 12 INSURANCE CLAIM TIPS –AND KEEP YOUR FRUSTRATION DOWN

Top 12 Insurance Claim Tips –and keep your frustration down

An Arctic surge has resulted in bitterly cold temperatures and heavy snow in many areas of the United States, resulting in car crashes and damage to property, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

Winter storms are the third-largest cause of U.S. catastrophe losses, behind only hurricanes and tornadoes. Winter storms caused $1.9 billion in insured losses in 2013, up dramatically from just $38 million in 2012. From 1994 to 2013 U.S. winter storms resulted in about $27 billion in insured catastrophe losses (in 2013 dollars), or more than $1 billion a year on average, according to Property Claim Services (PCS).

"Standard homeowners policies provide coverage for damage caused by wind, snow, severe cold and freezing rain," said Jeanne M. Salvatore, senior vice president and chief communications officer of the I.I.I. "Car accidents caused by slippery road conditions are also covered under standard auto insurance policies."

The I.I.I. offers the following information on insurance coverage for winter storms:

Auto Policies

Vehicle crashes between two or more drivers caused by snowy and slippery roads are covered by liability insurance. A car that crashes into an object would generally be covered under the optional collision portion of an auto policy.

Physical damage to a car caused by heavy wind, flooding or fallen ice or tree limbs is covered under the optional comprehensive portion of an auto policy. 

Homeowners Insurance Policies

Wind-related damage to a house, its roof, its contents and other insured structures on the property is covered under standard homeowners insurance policies. Wind-driven snow or freezing rain that gets into the home because the home was damaged by wind is also covered.

Tree limbs that fall on a house or other insured structure on the property would be covered for both the damage the tree inflicts on the house and the cost of removing the tree, generally up to about $500. Ice and other objects that fall on the home are also covered.

Damage to the house and its contents caused by weight of snow or ice that creates a collapse is covered under standard homeowners insurance policies.

Freezing conditions such as burst pipes or ice dams, a condition where water is unable to drain properly through the gutters and seeps into a house causing damage to ceilings and walls, is covered. However, there is generally a requirement that the homeowner has taken reasonable steps to prevent these losses by keeping the house warm and properly maintaining the pipes and drains.

Standard homeowners policies also include additional living expenses (ALE) in the event that a home is severely damaged by an insured disaster. This would pay for reasonable expenses incurred by living elsewhere while the home is being fixed.

Melting snow that seeps into a home from the ground up would be covered by flood insurance, which is provided by FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program, and a few private insurers. Flood insurance is available to both homeowners and renters. Damage caused by flooding is not covered by standard homeowners or renters insurance policies.

"Consumers who need to file an insurance claim should contact their insurance professional as soon as possible," said Salvatore. "Let your agent know the extent of the damage and start to document your loss with lists, receipts or photographs. If you have a home inventory, now would also be a good time to access it."

hERE ARE THE TOP 12 TIPS FOR HANDLING THE WINTER STORM PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIM.

1. Be pro-active in the claim process.  File the claim as soon as the damage occurs.  Do not delay a minute.

2. You’re not on a level playing field when you’re dealing with an insurance claim.

3. Think of your insurance claim as a business negotiation—you’re dealing with a for-profit company.

4. Give your insurance company a chance to do the right thing, but don’t mistake a friendly representative for a friend.

5. Document and support your claim with proof, details and estimates.

6. Present clear requests in writing that explain what you need, when you need it, and why you’re entitled to it.

7. Don’t pad or exaggerate your claim.  The insurer can accuse you of insurance fraud and deny the claim - this is critical to remember.

8. Don’t sign legal documents without consulting with a qualified attorney.

9. Try to resolve problems informally but complain in writing, go up the chain of command and/or use government agency help when necessary.

10. Get specialized professional help when you need it, start in the “Find Help” section of www.uphelp.org.

11. Do not rely on the insurer’s expert report, as it represents a biased investigation;  that expert is not on your side.  If you disagree with the expert report findings, hire your own expert – this is crucial.

12.  Do not get frustrated with thje investigation process – it happens with almost all claims.  Keep calm and be patient.

Key Flood Insurance Claim Tips:

·         Focus on completely inventorying and valuing all damage and costs to repair or replace your property, regardless of your insurance situation. 

·         Keep a diary of conversations with insurance, repair, government and other professionals. 

·         Flood policies have different rules than home policies. 

·         If you did not have flood insurance, there may still be Sandy damage that should be covered under your home policy, depending on how it is written.  Examples could be wind-driven rain, sewage backup due to electrical failure of a pump or other device, other damage due to power outages or surges. 

·         Give your home and/or flood insurer a chance to do the right thing, but advocate for yourself and get help from the NJ DOI and/or experienced professionals if you feel you’re not being treated fairly.

·         If a home or flood insurance adjuster says damage isn’t covered, but you feel it should be, get an independent professional opinion before giving up on getting some or all of your claim paid.

Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting & Forensics (MECF)

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