West Fertilizer Company explosion — explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas
A 2013 ammonium nitrate explosion at a Texas fertilizer plant killed 15, injured over 160, and raised industrial safety and arson concerns.
Key Facts
- Date
- April 17, 2013
- Deaths
- 15 people
- Injuries
- Over 160 people
- Buildings damaged or destroyed
- More than 150 buildings
- Explosive material
- Ammonium nitrate
- Distance from Waco
- 18 miles
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A fire broke out at the West Fertilizer Company storage and distribution facility in West, Texas, drawing emergency responders to the scene. The fire, later alleged by federal investigators to have been deliberately set, ignited stores of ammonium nitrate at the facility, though that finding has been disputed.
On April 17, 2013, while emergency services personnel were responding to the fire, ammonium nitrate stored at the facility exploded violently. The blast killed 15 people, injured more than 160 others, and damaged or destroyed over 150 buildings in the surrounding area.
The explosion prompted investigations by multiple agencies, and in May 2016 the ATF concluded the fire had been deliberately set, though this conclusion was disputed. The disaster intensified national scrutiny of industrial chemical storage safety regulations and the risks posed by fertilizer facilities located near populated areas.