Buehrle>Wood Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Pretty scary. Early reports saying up to 70 dead. The pictures look like an atomic bomb went off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soxsoxsoxsox Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 This video is INSANE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 lots of images here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/gripping-imag...zer-factory-nea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quin Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Oh my f***ing god. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quin Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Evacuating a five mile radius... I pray this is just an accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigHurt3515 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 This stuff isn't fair. But why were there houses and a nursing home and school so close to a Fertilizer Plant? It obviously wasn't safe. I thought there was some sort of ordinance with that kind of stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 01:52 AM) This stuff isn't fair. But why were there houses and a nursing home and school so close to a Fertilizer Plant? It obviously wasn't safe. I thought there was some sort of ordinance with that kind of stuff? Those kinds of things are all grandfathered in. Even if the law was passed, it doesn't change what was already there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 08:16 AM) Those kinds of things are all grandfathered in. Even if the law was passed, it doesn't change what was already there. I know Texas tends to have lax zoning laws, but building fertilizer factories in neighborhoods (or vice versa) is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 08:31 AM) I know Texas tends to have lax zoning laws, but building fertilizer factories in neighborhoods (or vice versa) is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard of. Most of Texas has no zoning laws. I'm speaking more for places that have real zoning laws even. If you pass a zoning ordinance, you can't make existing structures go back and change to fit the new law. They get grandfathered in until they make some material change to either the existing structure, or to their zoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddy Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 08:33 AM) Most of Texas has no zoning laws. I'm speaking more for places that have real zoning laws even. If you pass a zoning ordinance, you can't make existing structures go back and change to fit the new law. They get grandfathered in until they make some material change to either the existing structure, or to their zoning. but... but... government regulation is bad! ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 08:33 AM) Most of Texas has no zoning laws. I'm speaking more for places that have real zoning laws even. If you pass a zoning ordinance, you can't make existing structures go back and change to fit the new law. They get grandfathered in until they make some material change to either the existing structure, or to their zoning. This is a good argument against that sort of stupidity then. Or do Texans not remember what the OKC bomb was? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (Reddy @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 08:37 AM) but... but... government regulation is bad! ... The idea is to prevent abuses of power by the government. Without that sort of protection, you could have a local government literally legislate your house out of existence, with nothing you could do about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddy Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 08:51 AM) The idea is to prevent abuses of power by the government. Without that sort of protection, you could have a local government literally legislate your house out of existence, with nothing you could do about it. nah man i get it. but what about regulating where you can and can't build a plant? which was there first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (Reddy @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 08:56 AM) nah man i get it. but what about regulating where you can and can't build a plant? which was there first? No idea honestly. In Texas, it probably doesn't matter. Most towns literally have no zoning ordinances in that state. I'm guessing that the plant was there first, because a neighborhood would have a fit the other way around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddy Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 08:58 AM) No idea honestly. In Texas, it probably doesn't matter. Most towns literally have no zoning ordinances in that state. I'm guessing that the plant was there first, because a neighborhood would have a fit the other way around. right and THAT'S my point. whichever was there first, regulations should be in place to keep this exact thing from happening. it's common sense. however, in texas... it ain't so common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 I'm sure more will be available, but people have done rapid checks and found that this plant applied for and failed to qualify for some variety of operating permit in 2006, they've had people complain of strong ammonia odors before, and they haven't been inspected by OSHA since before 2006. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (Reddy @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 09:02 AM) right and THAT'S my point. whichever was there first, regulations should be in place to keep this exact thing from happening. it's common sense. however, in texas... it ain't so common. It isn't as common as you would think. Neighborhoods spring up around dangerous places all of the time. Many times it happened before ordinances went on to the books, or there just aren't rules against it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 10:12 AM) It isn't as common as you would think. Neighborhoods spring up around dangerous places all of the time. Many times it happened before ordinances went on to the books, or there just aren't rules against it. Developers aren't going to care as long as they can sell the homes. One way to do it would be to have people warned if their home is within distance x of a potentially hazardous site, but that can be a joke anyway. In California, you're supposed to be warned upon the purchase of a home if it's a few hundred yards from a fault line, but there's a place I really like on state route 14 where there is a steep slope with a bunch of houses on it, a mansion across the higway that I always guessed was over a million dollar home, a few hundred yards...and then you cross the San Andreas Fault. You couldn't pay me to live there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 09:18 AM) Developers aren't going to care as long as they can sell the homes. One way to do it would be to have people warned if their home is within distance x of a potentially hazardous site, but that can be a joke anyway. In California, you're supposed to be warned upon the purchase of a home if it's a few hundred yards from a fault line, but there's a place I really like on state route 14 where there is a steep slope with a bunch of houses on it, a mansion across the higway that I always guessed was over a million dollar home, a few hundred yards...and then you cross the San Andreas Fault. You couldn't pay me to live there. People run a similar risk living right on a river too. Hell, there are literally all sorts of places people could live that are just as dangerous, if not moreso, than living next to this plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 10:24 AM) People run a similar risk living right on a river too. Hell, there are literally all sorts of places people could live that are just as dangerous, if not moreso, than living next to this plant. Don't a lot of places have similar rules for flood-prone areas, where at least the developer is supposed to tell the homeowner that they're at a flood risk or that they should look into the federal flood insurance program? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 09:24 AM) People run a similar risk living right on a river too. Hell, there are literally all sorts of places people could live that are just as dangerous, if not moreso, than living next to this plant. I dunno, not many places are literally bombs waiting to explode if a small fire breaks out. Look at that video posted on the first page, those people are probably a good half mile away if not more and they were still rocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 09:26 AM) Don't a lot of places have similar rules for flood-prone areas, where at least the developer is supposed to tell the homeowner that they're at a flood risk or that they should look into the federal flood insurance program? I imagine so, or that it's at least widely assumed. But living in a high risk area like that, it becomes a lot more difficult and a lot more expensive to buy flood insurance as well. Think of a life insurance company insuring a smoking alcoholic. QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 09:32 AM) I dunno, not many places are literally bombs waiting to explode if a small fire breaks out. Look at that video posted on the first page, those people are probably a good half mile away if not more and they were still rocked. I'm not going to vouch for them and say it was a smart idea, but they obviously never anticipated this even in their wildest dreams. Suffice to say, there will be increased regulations on factories, especially on those that can, uhh, you know, explode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 10:39 AM) Suffice to say, there will be increased regulations on factories, especially on those that can, uhh, you know, explode. More regulation as a response to an event in Texas? This isn't exactly the first factory explosion in Texas. And somehow I don't see the Congress increasing the budget for OHSA on-site inspections any time soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 09:39 AM) I'm not going to vouch for them and say it was a smart idea, but they obviously never anticipated this even in their wildest dreams. Suffice to say, there will be increased regulations on factories, especially on those that can, uhh, you know, explode. People use fertilizer to make bombs. That's what was used in teh first WTC attack and at OKC. The idea that an ammonium nitrate plant can violently explode isn't new. Hell, it's happened before in Texas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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