DOWINV10292007AGRICHEMNH3 III INCIDENT 2266772 J277 CHRISTIAN COUNTY AGRICHEM HERNDON KENTUCKY NH3 R

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DOWINV10292007AGRICHEMNH3 III INCIDENT 2266772
J277 CHRISTIAN COUNTY AGRICHEM HERNDON KENTUCKY
NH3 RELEASE DUE TO VANDALISM

• by L. Peyton Adams and Mac Cann
• Madisonville DOW and Owensboro DAQ
• Environmental Response Team

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End of trail in the tree line north of the tank
farm
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Puddle at the tree line
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Puddle at the tree line north of the tank farm at
the end of the field
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View across the field looking south at the tank
farm
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View to south walking back towards the warehouse
across the field
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The abandoned car where the driver was picked up
by Agri-Chem workers when they fled the site
after the driver was unable to see and wrecked
the car.
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The view of the two wrecked cars
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Hazmat 2 discussion on decon and disposal of gear
damaged by the abrasion and high pH of ammonium
hydroxide formation
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KSP with Fire and Sherriff working the theft site
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Herndon Volunteer Fire Department
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The Sherriff, Ronnie Jones, Jere McCuiston, and
Wayne Hunt of Agri-Chem in debriefing
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Helicopters flying over the site
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Helicopters flying overhead as Red Cross arrives
with water by van
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Staging area upwind
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Fire Marshall and Red Cross
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Mac Cann going to check the school for reentry
and any need for venting
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KSP as wreckers pull vehicles
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KSP and Sherriff pulling working the accidents
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Debriefing group with Alan Gregory
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Picking up the wrecked cars
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The field getting more golden in color in the
plume area
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The north end of the warehouse
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The fire department picking up the remote and
their equipment
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The wrecker moving the van
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The fire department picking up equipment
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The fire department gathering up resources
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The fire department gathering equipment
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The tank farms north side with placarding
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The van after getting it off the highway
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Hazmat 2 trailer with their GPS data
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Hazmat 2
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Red Cross helping first responders as the media
gathers
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Fire department getting equipment
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Debriefing session lead by Alan Gregory
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The actual release site piping
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Plug in the valve that was the release mechanism
when it was unscrewed by a wrench
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Pool underneath and the rag that is largely
thawed now
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Similar piping on other tanks
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Color coded piping with additional check valves
and safety features defeated by a cutting of the
fence and using a wrench on the plug in the valve.
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Color coded piping between tanks with check
valves and ball valves
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The valve and piping under the tank
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Alan Gregory showing how there is an internal
valve that if a sledge hammer had knocked the
entire piping off the site, then it would have
been activated, but a small pipe hole releasing
out the plug was not big enough to force the
internal valve to seat. The plume would keep
coming until the tank was empty or the plug was
reinserted.
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The valving Alan Gregory is showing to Hazmat 2
on the neighboring tank on the liquid side of the
tank piping. They use color coded piping at the
tank farm to code.
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Alan Gregory showing the Hazmat 2 team how the
valving works on the anhydrous tank
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The cut fence, and debris left behind
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The valving after it thawed at the release point
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(No Transcript)
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The NE tanks south end showing the piping and
dome inner side with gauges on the tank
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The two ball valves that after the other tanks
were opened these were cracked as if to be used
as a throttle.
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The end of the tank in the release
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The anhydrous tank south end showing the gauge
and placarding
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The hose, pipe, and fire extinguisher shell left
behind after the intruders unscrewed the plug on
the liquid valve.
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Tank volume gauge on the south end of the tank
that was releasing the plume. With the other tank
valves looped in the system, if the plug had not
been inserted to stop the release other tanks
would have fed the plume adding more potential
release volume.
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Debris left behind by the cut fence after the
plug was taken out. The fire extinguisher shell,
pipe, wrench, and hose were inside the fence
where they were thrown down when the release
began.
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The color coded piping and debris left by the cut
fence
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The piping on the south side of the tank farm
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The manifold system can be seen south of the tank
farm and the two valves on the middle pipe. These
tanks were looped together with the leaking tank
releasing liquid anhydrous ammonia
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Hazmat 2 looking at piping and vehicle protection
at the end of the tank
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The Red Cross helping first responders
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The venting warehouse building behind the office
looking east
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Signs and placards
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Emergency numbers
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The vegetation as the sun rises by 1100 am
getting the color change in the plume pathway
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The plume pathway after the release stopped. An
aerial view of the site would help tell the
impact to vegetation.
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The manifold and parking lot shot from the open
warehouse door west
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Panning to tank farm from the open warehouse door
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Panning to right from the open warehouse door as
reporters interview Wayne Hunt