TORONTO – Wednesday evening a fertilizer plant in West, Texas exploded to devastating effect. Police say the blast killed many people – they have not yet released a firm death toll – and injured more than 160 others. Homes, apartments, a school and a nursing home near the plant were brought to the ground.
Authorities aren’t commenting yet on what caused the explosion, but the West Fertilizer Co. plant manufactures ammonium nitrate, the same chemical used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
Ammonium nitrate is normally a stable substance, according to Neil Donahue, professor of chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University, but when it’s exposed to high levels of heat it can cause an explosion.
In Canada the storage of ammonium nitrate is regulated under the Canada Transportation Act. No storage facility can have over 200 tons of ammonium nitrate without special permission. They also cannot be within 300 feet of a building where large groups of people gather such as a school or hospital, and cannot be within 150 feet of a home.
Ammonium nitrate is stored in various locations in Canada, ranging from manufacturing plants to simple storage facilities. Agrium, one of the largest manufactures in Canada, has over 25 locations where ammonium nitrate could be stored.
In 2008 Canada tightened restrictions surrounding the substance, deeming it a restricted component. All sellers of ammonium nitrate were forced to register with the Explosives Regulatory Division to be authorized.
List of buildings where ammonium nitrate is stored
161 Bickford Line
Courtright, Ontario, N0N 1H0
7053 Highway #1
Coldbrook, Nova Scotia, B4R 1B6
1400 17th Street East
Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 7C4
P.O. Box 40
650 Division Street
Cobourg, Ontario, K9A 4K2
199 Eastport Boulevard
Hamilton, Ontario, L8H 7S3
P.O. Box 10
225 Industrial Road
Oak Bluff, Manitoba R4G 0A5
P.O. Box 20024
263 Edward Street
St. Thomas, Ontario, N5P 3T5
With files from The Associated Press
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