Tuesday, February 01, 2022

Explosive Crop Fertilizer Loses Popularity in U.S. on High Risks


Elizabeth Elkin
Tue, February 1, 2022, 

(Bloomberg) -- The nitrogen fertilizer causing a stir over imminent danger of explosion in North Carolina has been fading from the U.S. market exactly because of this kind of risk.

Ammonium nitrate was the first solid nitrogen fertilizer produced on a large scale, but “its popularity has declined in recent years,” according to crop nutrient company Mosaic Co. Today, the input is only about 3% of total U.S. nitrogen farm consumption, according to Bloomberg’s Green Markets.

Ammonium nitrate has been behind deadly explosions in recent years, including a Texas plant that had about 200 tons of the chemical explode in April 2013, killing 15 people and damaging more than 150 structures across a 35-block area. The blast, and the subsequent lawsuit filed against major nitrogen producer CF Industries Holdings Inc., caused unease in the industry, Green Markets analyst Alexis Maxwell said. Since then, consumption has shrank about 25%, she said.

Also See: Blast Feared as Fire Devours North Carolina Fertilizer Plant

“The U.S. ammonium nitrate market consolidated after the West Texas explosion among an increasingly smaller number of agricultural retailers as buyers were unwilling to accept the increased risk and insurance cost,” Maxwell said by email.

Evacuations ordered over explosion fears after fire at North Carolina fertilizer plant

By Karen Graham
Published February 1, 2022

Drone video of Fertilizer Plant Fire from incident command post. If you are within 1 mile of 4440 North Cherry Street, please evacuate! Source - City of Winston-Salem, NC @CityofWS

About 6,500 people have been told to evacuate their homes in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, due to a fire at a fertilizer plant where 600 tons of potentially explosive ammonium nitrate was stored, city officials said on Tuesday.

The potential for an ammonium nitrate explosion at the Winston Weaver Co. plant remained a top concern, fire officials said, as authorities scrambled to evacuate almost 2,500 homes within a mile of the blaze, according to CNN News.

Winston-Salem Fire Chief William “Trey” Mayo said during a news conference on Tuesday that 500 tons of ammonium nitrate and 5,000 tons of finished fertilizer were at the site when the fire began. Another 100 tons of ammonium nitrate were in a railcar adjacent to the site.

The fire broke out Monday evening, with fire crews responding at 6:45 p.m., according to fire officials. The cause of the fire is still unknown. Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound used as a source of nitrogen for fertilizer. However, it is also used to create explosives for mining.

Winston-Salem Fire Department Battalion Chief Patrick Grubbs said, “We fought the fire for two hours before the blaze began affecting a rail car.” Once the rail car was involved, he said, “it became an explosive hazard,” with the potential for an explosion of ammonium nitrate, reports NBC News.

“Right now, we are in a waiting game. It’s not worth having firefighters go in and try to put the fire out,” said Matthew Smith, a hazardous material expert with the state of North Carolina. “As the fire burns, it is also losing fuel.”

On Tuesday, a state helicopter will take a hazmat specialist over the facility to access the situation and take photographs.

“Aside from drone surveillance this morning, this will be our first real daytime look at it just to get an indication of how much fire involvement there is in the area where the ammonium nitrate is stored,” Mayo said.

An old, unmanned fire truck, hooked up to a fire hydrant is being used to keep a constant stream of water on the railcar where the ammonium nitrate is stored.

“The area where ammonium nitrate was added is not actively burning at this time. It’s smoldering” Assistant Fire Chief Jerry Hardison said, according to Reuters, noting that the temperature of the fire needs to be kept under 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204°C), the flashpoint of ammonium nitrate.

 


Blaze at fertilizer plant in North Carolina may explode, officials warn



Feb. 1 (UPI) -- A fire at a fertilizer factory in North Carolina forced 6,500 people to evacuate as fears grow that the plant may explore near thousands of homes.

The potentially explosive fire at the Weaver Fertilizer Company in Winston-Salem began Monday evening around 7 p.m. No injuries have been reported but officials worry that chemicals at the plant could cause a devastating explosion

Videos posted by the City of Winston-Salem show towering flames and clouds of smoke. By 9 a.m. on Tuesday, those within a 1-mile radius of the plant were fully evacuated.

An estimated 500 tons of ammonium nitrate are in the building. There are approximately 5,000 tons of finished fertilizer in the plant.

The burning of ammonium nitrate could cause skin irritation, hazardous materials experts said on Tuesday.

People nearby were asked to stay indoors if they saw haze or smoke in the air.

An estimated 150 first responders including firefighters, police officers, and emergency management teams were assisting.

Battalion Chief Patrick Gruffs said that crews continue to fight the flame, and urged residents to stay clear of the area until Wednesday morning.




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