The Bhopal Disaster, India On December 3, 1984, a pesticide plant leaked methyl isocynate gas and other chemicals into the atmosphere. This killed around 4,000 – 20,000 people. The leakage formed a toxic cloud settling over the region, which killed 8,000 people in the very first days mainly from cardiac arrest and respiratory malfunction.
Photo Source: Greenpeace Italia
Photo Source: IBN Live
SAN JUANICO DISASTER, MEXICO
Texas City Disaster, USA
Photo Source: Greenpeace Italia
The deadliest disaster occurred on 19 November, 1984, around 20 km away from Mexico City in a large LPG storage and distribution center. It was basically caused by the LPG pipe
leakage due to excessive pressure, resulting in the formation of a vapor cloud that floated across the area. When the cloud ignited, a massive fire was caused at the plant site.
Photo Source: Texas History
Oppau Explosion, Germany
America’s worst disaster occurred on April 16, 1947. A small fire broke out in a ship that was carrying bags of ammonium nitrate. Immediate attempts were made to extinguish it. But it soon intensified and led to a massive explosion. The cause of the explosion was lack of awareness. However not confirmed, a report says that it is possible that a cigarette could have been dropped into the hold.
The explosion occurred on 21 September 1921. The store that dealt with nitrogen fixation works contained around 4500 tons of ammonium sulphate nitrate. Unaware of the highly explosive nature of ammonium nitrate, the workers at Oppau site decided that the best way to loosen 4500 tons of ammonium nitrate was to detonate several dynamite charges, which led to an explosive equivalent to 1-2 kilotons of TNT, ripping off roofs from houses situated 25km away from the site of explosion.
49 Photo Source: SCANZ