Site: Barton Solvents, Wichita Facility in Valley Centre, Kansas
Incident: Naphtha Tank explosion from static accumulation during offloading
Date: July 17, 2007, at about 9 a.m.
Injuries: Eleven residents and one firefighter received medical treatment
Background: The initial explosion occurred soon after the tank farm supervisor started the transfer of the final compartment of a tanker-trailer containing Varnish Makers’ and
Painters’ (VM&P) naphtha into a 15,000 gallon above-ground storage tank. VM&P naphtha is a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Class IB flammable liquid (Flash point: below 22.8 °C (73 °F) & Boiling point: at or above 37.8 °C (100 °F)) that can produce ignitable vapour-air mixtures inside tanks and, because of its low electrical conductivity, can accumulate dangerous levels of static electricity.
The explosion propelled the VM&P tank into the air, pouring out a plume of smoke and flames from the burning liquid before it landed approximately 130 feet away. Witnesses heard the blast and observed the fireball from several miles away. Within moments, two additional tanks ruptured, releasing their contents into the rapidly intensifying fire, which was largely contained within the earthen bund surrounding the tank farm.
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