Ammonium nitrate — widely used as agricultural fertilizer and as a component of industrial explosives — is one of the most dangerous materials stored in Texas communities. Under normal conditions, ammonium nitrate is relatively stable, but when contaminated, confined, or exposed to fire, it can detonate with devastating force. Texas experienced one of the worst industrial disasters in American history when a fertilizer storage and distribution facility in West, Texas exploded in 2013, killing 15 people (including 12 first responders), injuring more than 160 others, and destroying more than 150 buildings. Despite this tragedy, ammonium nitrate storage facilities continue to operate near schools, homes, and businesses across Texas. McFarlane Law represents victims of ammonium nitrate explosions and fights for accountability from the companies that store these dangerous materials in populated areas.

The Unique Danger of Ammonium Nitrate

Ammonium nitrate occupies a uniquely dangerous position among industrial chemicals because it is both extremely common and potentially explosive. Texas is one of the largest agricultural states in the country, and ammonium nitrate fertilizer is stored at hundreds of facilities — fertilizer distributors, agricultural cooperatives, and farm supply warehouses — throughout the state, many located in or near small towns and rural communities. The explosive potential of ammonium nitrate has been known for over a century, dramatically demonstrated by the 1947 Texas City disaster that killed nearly 600 people when ammonium nitrate on a cargo ship detonated. Ammonium nitrate can detonate when it is contaminated with organic materials (fuel oil, grain dust, or other combustible substances), confined under pressure, or exposed to intense heat or fire. The detonation velocity of ammonium nitrate — approximately 5,000 meters per second — produces a shock wave and blast pressure that can destroy reinforced concrete structures and propel debris for thousands of feet. A detonation of just a few tons of ammonium nitrate produces an explosion equivalent to several thousand pounds of TNT.

Regulatory Gaps and the West, Texas Disaster

The West Fertilizer Company explosion exposed critical gaps in the regulation and oversight of ammonium nitrate storage in Texas. At the time of the explosion, the facility stored approximately 40–60 tons of ammonium nitrate — far above the threshold quantities that trigger EPA Risk Management Program requirements — yet the facility had not filed the required risk management plan and had not been inspected by OSHA in over 25 years. Zoning regulations allowed the facility to operate adjacent to a school, nursing home, and residential neighborhood. Fire departments had not been informed of the quantity of explosive material stored at the facility. In the aftermath of the disaster, federal and state regulators implemented some reforms — the EPA and DHS tightened reporting requirements for ammonium nitrate, and Texas established new standards for ammonium nitrate storage — but enforcement remains inconsistent and many storage facilities continue to operate near populated areas without adequate safety measures. The history of regulatory failure means that when an ammonium nitrate explosion occurs, the regulatory environment itself contributes to the harm by allowing dangerous conditions to persist unchecked.

Injuries and Community Devastation

Ammonium nitrate explosions produce military-grade blast effects in civilian settings. The detonation generates a shock wave that shatters windows for miles, collapses structures within hundreds of yards, and causes primary blast injuries (blast lung, bowel perforation, eardrum rupture) at greater distances. The crater left by the West, Texas explosion measured 93 feet wide and 10 feet deep. Flying debris — including glass, building materials, and equipment fragments — causes severe laceration, penetrating trauma, and blunt force injuries across a wide area. Fires ignited by the explosion spread rapidly through damaged structures. Beyond the immediate physical injuries, ammonium nitrate explosions devastate entire communities: homes are destroyed, businesses are wiped out, schools and public buildings are damaged beyond repair, and the social fabric of small towns is torn apart. First responders face extreme danger — in the West, Texas disaster, firefighters who responded to the initial fire at the facility were killed when the stored ammonium nitrate detonated. The psychological trauma of surviving such an event, losing neighbors and community members, and watching a hometown destroyed causes long-lasting mental health effects.

Ammonium Nitrate Explosion Claims

McFarlane Law pursues claims against every party responsible for ammonium nitrate explosions — the facility owner and operator, the property owner, any company that supplied or transported the ammonium nitrate, and governmental entities whose regulatory failures contributed to the disaster. We investigate whether the facility complied with EPA RMP requirements, DHS Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), OSHA PSM standards (where applicable), and Texas state storage requirements. We examine whether the facility maintained adequate separation distances from populated areas, implemented proper fire protection and suppression systems, stored ammonium nitrate in compliance with NFPA 400 standards, and trained workers and local emergency responders on the explosive hazards present. For community members whose homes, businesses, and property were damaged, we pursue claims for property damage, temporary displacement, diminished property values, personal injuries, and emotional distress. For families who lost loved ones, including first responders, we pursue wrongful death and survival actions. Contact McFarlane Law at (512) 222-4900 or (432) 803-5000.

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