Explosion rocks Maph land!

M

Maphusio

Sonny, I Watched the Vault Bein' Built!
I was minding my own business waiting for my Saturday at work (ISP) to end when the power went out for a moment or two then zapped back on. Shortly after this support calls started flooding in. Customers reported hearing a HUGE explosion in Tacoma, Wa USA. One of the calls was from one of our on site technicians whom just stepped outside to feel a shock wave hit him and shake the house that he had just installed.

Turns out a propane semi exploded at a heavy machinery plant sending a fountain of flame that some reports (Tacoma news tribune) estimate close to 1000 feet high. As many as three propane tanks were reported to of caught fire. Several reports indicate multiple explosions (welding materials about).

The blast wave was felt and seen miles away. Parts of the semi truck were tossed over 100 feet into the air to land in the middle of a busy freeway. Interstate 5 was closed for several hours and highway 16 remains closed as its believed to be possible, that the concussion of the shock wave may have damaged the freeways structure.

Power was knocked out or surged as far as 15 miles away (including my home 20+ miles away). Frackin insane stuff. I've posted some pictures I recorded via traffic cams below.

I initially saw the flames twice as high as they are in these shots.
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fire1.jpg


fire7.jpg


fire16.jpg


This traffic cam was at ground zero...
fire5.jpg


Traffic backed up for miles and miles... and there was some noob thinking he could go 4X4ing...
traffic.jpg
 
ZOMG terrorists!

The most shocking part of the whole thing, to me, is that that the entire human toll of the explosion was just three injured.

That out of the way, I can't help but really, really hope that they ticket the tool that tried to go off-road.
 
Yamu said:
ZOMG terrorists!

The most shocking part of the whole thing, to me, is that that the entire human toll of the explosion was just three injured.

That out of the way, I can't help but really, really hope that they ticket the tool that tried to go off-road.
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Definitely on the ticket. Apparently Atlas Foundry used to be very, well, safe and union oriented but as of late one could drive by and see geniuses running fork lifts into things... With all those explosives about...
 
we had something similar a while back in Gellingen, when a construction company accidently tore open an underground gas line. fucking morons... someone that lives in my street worked nearby and his entire right arm and back received 3rd degree burns.

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the dutchies also had something in Enschede when a fireworks plant blew (or at least a bunker or something). their biggest explosion was heard up to 60km out...

Ramp_enschede.jpg
 
Sue said:
the dutchies also had something in Enschede when a fireworks plant blew
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Yer, but I think that blew up a big chunk of the town, no?
 
Wooz said:
Yer, but I think that blew up a big chunk of the town, no?
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Yes. Killed a bunch of people, destroyed a lot of houses and caused a bunch of criminal investigations into the fireworks company resulting in some prison sentences.

It was a fireworks warehouse, by the way.
 
Sander said:
Wooz said:
Yer, but I think that blew up a big chunk of the town, no?
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Yes. Killed a bunch of people, destroyed a lot of houses and caused a bunch of criminal investigations into the fireworks company resulting in some prison sentences.

It was a fireworks warehouse, by the way.
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Those are no fun to see go up. Here in the USA we have TV shows that consist of "Worlds biggest explosive ultra 1337 accidents!!!1" and there have been a few firework factories going up. I recall one in South America leveling a good chuck of the city. They had video tape of someone holding the camera watching the blast then being tossed back like a rag doll.

I'm not sure what all caught fire here, there has been very little information coming out and there is roughly a mile radius around the blast roped off. The company is a heavy machinery welding and manufacturing company so... Fire is still burning according to the news... OK I got to go watch the Seahawks pwn the Steelers!
 
i used to live in the puyallup area and moved to tacoma and live there for a while before moving to VA.

where in tacoma was it?
 
I live in Kent, (between Seattle and Tacoma) and wasnt around it at the time. But a lot of friends and family experienced that explosion :P
 
Goweigus said:
I live in Kent, (between Seattle and Tacoma) and wasnt around it at the time. But a lot of friends and family experienced that explosion :P
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You live in Kent... HAH, we all know what "those" people are like in "Kent" ...Sorry, Almost Live flashback. People in Kent actually heard the explosion as well according to the soon to be defunct Seattle Times.

TheWesDude said:
i used to live in the puyallup area and moved to tacoma and live there for a while before moving to VA.

where in tacoma was it?
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Well at least you can live with the fact that you are one of the few people on the entire planet that can spell Puyallup!

The Atlas Foundry is near Tacoma Screw... Yes, best name ever but its true (yes, that also rhymes... unintentionally). If you were to drive I5 and get off on 16 about 50 yards past the treacherous Spraque curves, down to the right, almost under the freeway.

The axle and other flaming debris were actually tossed from the explosion into the middle of the highway... imagine that sight as your putting along to I5! No cars / people were injured from the violent semi-truck projectiles on the freeway. Looks like everyone (including the driver) are getting off with a get out of death card. The driver wont be passing Go for some time however.

There is a possibility the electrical sub-station caused the fire in the first place. I'm reading outside news reports theorizing this based on the reported times of the explosions and power surges. I cant wrap my head around how it all ignited though. I also noticed most cable modems in that area flapped and power adjusted around 3:08pm... I seem to recall the explosion taking place later than that...

Well... It's time for me to wallow in my misery after the Seahawks loss and learning that Mack Strong woke up this morning with a spinal cord injury... *slugs one back* Who let the Mariners play for the Seahawks!
 
my liscense plate cover is a puyallup nissa-suzuki cover...

its not spelling puyallup thats the problem, its pronouncing it thats the problem for most people.

and why wouldnt i be able to pronounce/spell it, i lived around there for years dude.

puyallup, snowqualmie (sp ) and the names like that are the hard ones for people to get right even people who have heard about it.
 
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