hacksaw
Mechanical
- Dec 7, 2002
- 2,564
A blast ripped through a plant in Houston Texas in the 14500 block of Minetta near Fondren and Main, about 6 p.m. on Dec. 3. 2004 Investigators ruled that a mechanical failure in a tank of polyethylene (polymer) caused the explosion.
The Chemical Safety and Hazard Board said preliminary evidence shows the tank that exploded had been welded and modified for installation of internal heating coils. It also had no pressure-relief system, the board reported.
Residents 20 miles away heard the explosion, which sparked a fire in a warehouse that burned for at least three hours. The plant is in an area with homes and apartment complexes as well as industrial plants.
