Cause of Friday night explosion, fire still unknown

By Brian M. Boyce
The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE May 23, 2009 10:46 pm

— Snap, crackle, bam!
Workers were on-site Saturday afternoon at CF Industries, sopping up oil from the ground and repairing equipment after a large electrical explosion occurred at the substation there Friday night.
“We had an oil field circuit breaker that was damaged,” CF site superintendent Jeff Christian said at the facility on U.S. 41 North near Rosedale.
One of the breakers, which contain about 300 gallons of oil each, exploded about 9:30 p.m. Friday evening, rippling the air with noise heard as far away as downtown Terre Haute.
Christian said only about 100 gallons of oil was lost in the incident and two identical components next to the one damaged remained intact. “Operationally, it had no consequences for us,” he said, noting the plant has emergency procedures in case of such an event.
No injuries were reported, he added.
The substation sets between anhydrous ammonia tanks and large storage facilities, but is far enough removed that the product was not in danger, he and other CF personnel said.
“We don’t know what the cause was yet,” he said, noting about 10 workers on the premises working there that afternoon.
The metal poles of the substation structure were blackened from the heat, and material pads were spread around to soak up the oil.
Otter Creek Volunteer Fire Department Chief John Myers said Saturday about 25 firefighters responded from his department. Emergency responders managed to keep the other two components cooled off while using foam to quell the fire emanating from the third, he said.
“We didn’t want to get those involved,” he said, adding members of his department remained on site until about 1:45 a.m.
According to the CF Industries Web site, “The Terre Haute Ammonia Terminal receives ammonia via pipeline from the company’s Donaldsonville nitrogen complex and by rail on the CSX rail line from its Medicine Hat nitrogen complex. It ships ammonia to customers via truck.”
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.

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