Explosive Mix: How Neglect Fueled West Fertilizer Tragedy

Resources

Resources & Recommendations

Research & Studies

• Preliminary findings on West Fertilizer incident (Chemical Safety Board - CSB) - Released one year after the incident, detailing initial investigative findings.
• Final CSB Report on West Fertilizer incident (Chemical Safety Board - CSB) - Released almost three years after the incident, providing the definitive conclusions of the investigation.
• GHD report on the Orica Kooragang Island incident - Referenced for its explanation of how heated ammonium nitrate decomposes and its sensitivity to detonation is affected by contaminants.

Organizations & Institutions

• Adair Grain Incorporated - The company that established the West Fertilizer Company.
• Eldorado Chemical Company (EDC) - One of the suppliers of fertilizer-grade ammonium nitrate (AFGAN) in the United States.
• Central Farmers Industries (CF Industries) - Another supplier of AFGAN in the United States.
• International Chemical Company (Interchem) - An occasional supplier of AFGAN to West Fertilizer Company.
• Texas Rangers - Involved in the criminal investigation into the incident.
• McLennan Sheriff's Department - Involved in the criminal investigation into the incident.
• Texas Fire Marshal's Office - Involved in the criminal investigation into the incident.
• US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) - Involved in the criminal investigation into the incident and later concluded the fire was deliberately lit.
• Chemical Safety Board (CSB) - Investigated the incident and released preliminary and final reports.
• Insurance Services Office (ISO) - Its Public Protection Classification (PPC) system evaluates fire protection in communities, and its evaluation did not include the WFC facility.
• United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Has regulations or recommendations relating to the storage location of explosives and reactive materials.
• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) - Has regulations or recommendations relating to the storage location of explosives and reactive materials.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) - Has regulations or recommendations relating to the storage location of explosives and reactive materials.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Has regulations or recommendations relating to the storage location of explosives and reactive materials.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) - Issued a new edition of their hazardous materials code after the incident.

Articles & Papers

• Chemical Advisory Safe Storage Handling and Management of Ammonium Nitrate (Environmental Protection Agency) - Provides guidance on protecting ammonium nitrate from moisture and other safe storage practices.

Laws & Regulations

• Dangerous Goods Safety Act of 2004 (Western Australia) - Regulates dangerous goods in Western Australia.
• Dangerous Goods Safety Storage and Handling Non Explosives Regulations of 2007 (Western Australia) - Supports the Dangerous Goods Safety Act, specifically treating AFGAN as a dangerous good.
• Dangerous Goods Safety Major Hazard Facilities Regulations of 2007 (Western Australia) - Supports the Dangerous Goods Safety Act, impacting land use and planning applications for major hazard facilities.
• Code of Practice for Safe Storage of Solid Ammonium Nitrate (Western Australia) - Specifies minimum separation distances for AFGAN stores.
• Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) - Standard under which the United States Department of Homeland Security considers AFGAN a chemical of interest.
• NFPA 400 2016 Hazardous Materials Code, Chapter 11 Ammonium Nitrate (National Fire Protection Association) - New edition issued after the incident, prohibiting combustible construction materials for new AFGAN storage facilities and setting requirements for existing ones.
• Chemical Advisory Safe Storage Handling and Management of Solid Ammonium Nitrate Prills EPA 550F15001 (Environmental Protection Agency) - Released in June, summarizing key points and providing guidance on avoiding contamination and chlorides.

Other Resources

• West Fallen Heroes Memorial Park - A park built in 2019 to honor the 15 people killed in the West Fertilizer Company incident.

Episodes

• Causality Episode 44: Beirut Warehouse 12 - An episode that covered ammonium nitrate in depth, specifically ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO).