Anhydrous Ammonia Accident

[Vertigo58]

Native Houstonian's may recall this terrible day in Houston and hard to believe it could happen right next to the Galleria south interchange by the old Post newspaper building.

It was sensationalized for weeks/months. I remember I had a project in my Driver's Ed class to draw anything "traffic related" so I created a painting of the scene as described by witnesses on TV. Got 1st prize. Kind of wish I had saved it but it must have been so depressing I tossed it out. I recall witnesses saying people being trapped in their cars. Here goes...

TRANSPORT COMPANY OF TEXAS

TRACTOR-SEMITRAILER (TANK) COLLISION

WITH BRIDGE COLUMN AND SUDDEN

DISPERSAL OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA CARGO

I-610 AT SOUTHWEST FREEWAY,

HOUSTON, TEXAS

MAY 11, 1976

SYNOPSIS

About 11:08 a.m., on May 11, 1976, a Transport Company of Texas tractor-semitrailer (tank) transporting 7,509 gallons of anhydrous ammonia struck and penetrated a bridge rail on a ramp connecting I-610 with the Southwest Freeway (U.S. 59) in Houston, Texas. The tractor and trailer left the ramp, struck a support column of an overpass, and fell onto the Southwest Freeway, approximately 15 feet below. The anhydrous ammonia was released from the damaged tank semitrailer.

Six persons died as a result of the accident, 78 persons were hospitalized, and approximately 100 other persons were treated for injuries.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the excessive speed of the vehicle combined with the lateral surge of liquid in the partially loaded tank truck, which caused it to overturn. The cause of 5 of the 6 fatalities and all of the 178 injuries was the inhalation of anhydrous ammonia. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the failure of the bridge rail to contain or redirect the vehicle.

Edited March 21, 2007 by Vertigo58

[musicman]

this is the reason why they don't allow hazardous chemical trucks inside the loop anymore. this also gave jan carson her start as coanchor with dave ward.

[foxmulder]

this is the reason why they don't allow hazardous chemical trucks inside the loop anymore. this also gave jan carson her start as coanchor with dave ward.

I think http://www.texasfreeway.com/ has pictures of it.

[jm1fd]

I recall witnesses saying people being trapped in their cars while others were running in flames. Here goes...

Flames? Didn't know ammonia was flammable....

[northbeaumont]

Flames? Didn't know ammonia was flammable....

I imagine the people who went by it got an ultimate high.

[musicman]

Flames? Didn't know ammonia was flammable....

i just remember the ammonia cloud in the area. i was just looking for pic and noticed there was another accident in deer park a few months before that involving transportation of ammonia. 5 died in the deer park one and 200 were injured. in my naive youth i remember getting a wiff of ammonia and remembering how bad it felt.

[MidtownCoog]

My uncle (a photographer) took pictures of this and sold them to the national press. He was in one of the buildings close by.

I think he got about $100.

[Vertigo58]

i just remember the ammonia cloud in the area. i was just looking for pic and noticed there was another accident in deer park a few months before that involving transportation of ammonia. 5 died in the deer park one and 200 were injured. in my naive youth i remember getting a wiff of ammonia and remembering how bad it felt.

I can relate, one day at Jackson Jr High (coincidentally around this time) the swimming pool below the gym released a heavy cloud of chlorine and I along with many other kids had to go home and or the hospital. Never knew if it was done as a prank or what but I thought I was going to die! Could hardly breath and burning eyes. Bad news. Still hate the scent to this day.

[texianjoe]

I had an aunt die in that accident.

joe

[jm1fd]

in my naive youth i remember getting a wiff of ammonia and remembering how bad it felt.

Yep...and that was probably the stuff you clean your floor with, which is HIGHLY, HIGHLY diluted compared to the stuff that leaked out of that tanker.

[texianjoe]

Yep...and that was probably the stuff you clean your floor with, which is HIGHLY, HIGHLY diluted compared to the stuff that leaked out of that tanker.

Yea but we used to also break open thermometers and roll the mercury around in our hands, and run back and forth across the street through the fog when the mosquito fog trucks drove by. I'm surprised our generation survived, or maybe we are stronger because of it. Either way we weren't very bright.

joe

Edited March 20, 2007 by texianjoe

[EastEnd Susan]

I remember this very well. I was painting my grandmas livingroom to get money to buy a pair of boots and had the tv on at the time and they broke in with the news of the tanker. The next day the picture on the front page of the post was very scary and sad.

After a couple of weeks I drove by there and every bit of greenery was dead. A few months later though everything was growing like crazy because of the ammonia being one of the ingredients in fertilizer.

Edited March 20, 2007 by EastEnd Susan

[Jeebus]

[nm5k]

I was about 5-10 minutes behind him. At that time, there was already a pretty

large cloud. I was going north on 610, and turning east to 59 right in front of

the Post building. At that time, I wasn't exactly sure what chemical it was, but

I quickly rolled up my windows, and then pretty much floored it through the

cloud. Pretty much a non event as far as I was concerned.. I was in a speedy

new chevy Monte Carlo as I remember.

I had no problems myself, and quickly found out what it was on the radio.

I also remember all that dead grass and plant life.. Looked like Nebraska

in January... :/ BTW, I'm not even close to being a native Houstonian... :/

I was actually born in Dallas, and have also lived in Tyler Tx, OK City OK,

Pasadena TX, Wichita KS, Merriam KS, and back here to Houston again

for a 2nd round of abuse.. But I guess I have lived here longer than

some native Houstonites if they are fairly low mileage flesh units..

MK

[musicman]

Either way we weren't very bright.

joe

people will always do things that aren't very bright, i know i do.

good ole judd mcillvain. so i guess also answers the question about a fire/explosion.

[Vertigo58]

Wow, hadn't seen that footage in 30 years. Eyewitnesses always give conflicting reports so I imagine the mention of explosion just took off. Nonetheless great job.

and I always heard Youtube was just stupid Jack-Ass movie-like antics. Apparently it is a good resource of knowledge too.

[bmil128]

This was a pretty big deal - I was an infant at the time and we lived near Westheimer and Chimney Rock; my dad was in London on business when it happened and it made the news on the BBC there and he was concerned the ammonia cloud could drift towards our house.

[ricco67]

I remember the images from the news. While I knew it was a major event, it really didn't register to me at the time as far as the loss, nor it's far reaching effect of the accident. Even after reading these posts (I'll eventually watch the YouTube video), I can only visualize what that intersection looked like at the time.

It is safe to assume this is the main reason why Hazardous cargo (in large quantities) are no longer allowed inside the loop? Was this also influential for the same policy in other cities as well?

[musicman]

It is safe to assume this is the main reason why Hazardous cargo (in large quantities) are no longer allowed inside the loop?

no assuming. this incident was instrumental in the change.

[ricco67]

Can you elaborate a bit on that? Or do you know this for a solid fact?

[musicman]

Can you elaborate a bit on that? Or do you know this for a solid fact?

My dad was in the fire dept for 40 yrs and was also instrumental in developing the hazmat team (which wasn't in existance back then). he said that accidents involving hazardous chemicals on the freeways were relatively rare (in houston) and really weren't being overseen by any special laws. this accident did make govt open their eyes to possible future disasters which began the process of banning hazard chemicals inside the loop. he said he would call a friend in the office of emergency mgmt to see if they had an exact date, but he said he remembered it wasn't immediate. i will check my houston freeways book too to see if there's any info.

Edited March 21, 2007 by musicman

[FilioScotia]

It is safe to assume this is the main reason why Hazardous cargo (in large quantities) are no longer allowed inside the loop?

That accident was certainly one of the reasons for banning hazardous cargoes inside the Loop 610, but hardly the only reason. Other HC accidents in future years finally prompted that policy.

It's worth noting that the ammonia truck accident didn't happen inside the Loop. It was ON the West Loop, and the accident happened when the driver took the exit to 59 outbound.

I was working at KPRC Radio News when the accident happened just after 11am that morning, and our news director jumped in a News Car to go cover it. He got too close and ended up in 12 Oaks Hospital just a couple of blocks from where it happened, along with dozens of others affected by the ammonia. That stuff was not household ammonia. It was pure undiluted industrial strength anhydrous ammonia that's used in a variety of industrial chemical processes, and it is deadly.

One of my vivid memories of visiting my boss in the hospital was watching all the lawyers' runners going around to every room handing out calling cards saying give them a call. And lawyers wonder why the public has such a low opinion of them.

Edited March 21, 2007 by FilioScotia

[sak]

Native Houstonian's may recall this terrible day in Houston and hard to believe it could happen right next to the Galleria south interchange by the old Post newspaper building.

It was sensationalized for weeks/months. I remember I had a project in my Driver's Ed class to draw anything "traffic related" so I created a painting of the scene as described by witnesses on TV. Got 1st prize. Kind of wish I had saved it but it must have been so depressing I tossed it out. I recall witnesses saying people being trapped in their cars while others were running in flames. Here goes...

TRANSPORT COMPANY OF TEXAS

TRACTOR-SEMITRAILER (TANK) COLLISION

WITH BRIDGE COLUMN AND SUDDEN

DISPERSAL OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA CARGO

I-610 AT SOUTHWEST FREEWAY,

HOUSTON, TEXAS

MAY 11, 1976

SYNOPSIS

About 11:08 a.m., on May 11, 1976, a Transport Company of Texas tractor-semitrailer (tank) transporting 7,509 gallons of anhydrous ammonia struck and penetrated a bridge rail on a ramp connecting I-610 with the Southwest Freeway (U.S. 59) in Houston, Texas. The tractor and trailer left the ramp, struck a support column of an overpass, and fell onto the Southwest Freeway, approximately 15 feet below. The anhydrous ammonia was released from the damaged tank semitrailer.

Six persons died as a result of the accident, 78 persons were hospitalized, and approximately 100 other persons were treated for injuries.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the excessive speed of the vehicle combined with the lateral surge of liquid in the partially loaded tank truck, which caused it to overturn. The cause of 5 of the 6 fatalities and all of the 178 injuries was the inhalation of anhydrous ammonia. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the failure of the bridge rail to contain or redirect the vehicle.

My friend was a young mother with her infant, both trapped in her car. My friend was almost completely overcome by the fumes. All she could do was hit the wiper control with her foot. Someone in the Post building saw the wipers come on and alerted the rescuers. She and the baby survived. She had completely covered her baby with her body and the baby had no ill effects. My friend however, suffered severe lung damage and had serious health problems for the rest of her life. She passed away last year as a result of complications from the lung damage.

[FilioScotia]

My friend was a young mother with her infant, both trapped in her car. My friend was almost completely overcome by the fumes.

I had several friends who were Houston Post reporters, and worked in the Post building right next to the freeway. A couple of them were sent outside to cover the story and take pictures, before anybody realized how serious it was and was going to get.

One told me later that the people who died instantly were stuck in the sudden traffic jam and made the mistake of getting out of their cars. Unfortunately, they were in the middle of the ammonia cloud and died almost immediately. Their bodies were found on the freeway and off on the shoulder. The lucky ones who didn't die were taken to hospitals all over the city. My friend said it was a sight he will never forget. I ran into him a few years ago, and he talked about it as if it happened last week.

[Fringe]

this is the reason why they don't allow hazardous chemical trucks inside the loop anymore. this also gave jan carson her start as coanchor with dave ward.

Actually this was just one event that prompted the change. In the 80's a gasoline tanker truck overturned on the SW Freeway near Richmond Ave and burst into flames. While the fire department was attempting to extinguish it, the water they were using carried the still burning gasoline down an embankment and caught some apartments on fire. (HFD learned their lesson on that one).

The ammonia incident occurred shortly before I joined the fire department. I remember it well. New a lot of firefighters that made that incident. My Dad worked in a building next to the old Houston Post building and saw the whole thing.

I forget how many fatalities there were, but it was bad. Your life expectancy in a cloud of ammonia is practically nil. The ones that survived stayed in their cars until after the cloud dissipated. The fire department could not even approach the scene until afterwards. I suspect even those that survived had some serious health issues because it will destroy your lungs.

By the way. Thanks Jeebus for the video link.

Edited May 30, 2007 by LunaticFringe

[Jeebus]

Actually this was just one event that prompted the change. In the 80's a gasoline tanker truck overturned on the SW Freeway near Richmond Ave and burst into flames.

Hasn't this happened on 59 & 610 quite a few times in the last 20-30 years? Didn't it just happen again about 3 years ago on 610 around Bellaire?

[Fringe]

Hasn't this happened on 59 & 610 quite a few times in the last 20-30 years? Didn't it just happen again about 3 years ago on 610 around Bellaire?

It did. Just a little over 3 years ago.

Edited March 22, 2007 by LunaticFringe

[brucesw]

I had just passed through the area on the way to work. One of our salesmen who had delusons of being a reporter went down to check it out and somehow found a pay phone and called back a 'report.'

Although speed was cited as the primary cause, I remember issues were raised concerning the design of the ramp and the lack of baffles in the tank which allowed the chemical to slosh around and contribute to the instability of the load.

I don't think I've ever seen any follow-up report on the long term health effects on those who were caught in it or rushed in intending to help. I'm not surprised there were serious ones, though.

[texianjoe]

Hasn't this happened on 59 & 610 quite a few times in the last 20-30 years? Didn't it just happen again about 3 years ago on 610 around Bellaire?

There was a really bad one about 20-30 years ago at 610 Southloop and the 225 interchange. It burned so hot it melted the beams on the 225 west exit ramp and it had to be closed for a while for repairs. It also killed a motorcycle policman who happened to be riding near the truck.

joe

[Croberts]

[

About 11:08 a.m., on May 11, 1976, a Transport Company of Texas tractor-semitrailer (tank) transporting 7,509 gallons of anhydrous ammonia struck and penetrated a bridge rail on a ramp connecting I-610 with the Southwest Freeway (U.S. 59) in Houston, Texas. The tractor and trailer left the ramp, struck a support column of an overpass, and fell onto the Southwest Freeway, approximately 15 feet below. The anhydrous ammonia was released from the damaged tank semitrailer.

Six persons died as a result of the accident, 78 persons were hospitalized, and approximately 100 other persons were treated for injuries.

I was thinking about starting a post about this. On that day, I was driving north on 610, preparing to go up and over 59. I was going about 65 in my volkswagon bug, and I noticed in my rear view mirror a tanker bearing down on me like he was going 85+, and I swerved to the left lane to get out of his way. He exited on the 59 ramp, and I remember thinking that I could not make that turn at 65, let alone whatever speed he was driving. I lost sight of him as I went up and over. I was taking a friend to Andres for lunch, and while we were eating people started talking about a tank truck explosion. Given what I know about that ramp and the need to slow down for it, I would guess that the driver had suicide in mind at least.