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-js23 t1_jdkjahj wrote

I wonder if it was a sugar or flour dust explosion, if enough is in the air, it can go up like a gas explosion.

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12darrenk t1_jdlyvmd wrote

Early reports said that there were flames coming up thru cracks in the pavement prior to the natural gas supply being secured. So everything seems to be pointing to a natural gas explosion at this time.

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thefluxthing t1_jdn7w34 wrote

Brother in law of my coworker was in the explosion. Apparently building 2 blew up. He was in building 1 and said the smell of gas was incredible. He went outside to get a break from the awful smell and ended up being not far from Building 2 as it exploded. He feels he survived by not taking the last 2 or 3 intended steps.

(Just noting I also posted this same comment on another Palmer’s explosion post to this sub. But felt the comment was also relevant here)

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bigtoegman210 t1_jdlxamp wrote

People don’t realize but sugar is an explosive

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DragoonDart t1_jdm1zin wrote

It’s not though. It just makes existing explosions or fires worse due to its nature

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NotYourDad75 t1_jdmb64k wrote

It is though. Areas that process sugar are typically classified areas because of the explosion hazard. You’re right in saying that there are usually two explosions or events. The first event is usually small, but it may cause more sugar to become airborne, thus setting up the right conditions for an even bigger second explosion.

I just don’t think it’s correct to say it’s not explosive. It’s a fuel, and when mixed with oxygen in the right proportions and ignited, it will explode.

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DragoonDart t1_jdmj1ut wrote

So is flour. So is grain. Saying “Sugar is an explosive” is a shock/clickbait statement because it ignores the very specific context needed to make it explode.

You’re not wrong; but if you light a match next to your household sugar in a Tupperware container it’s not going to go up like the Hindenburg or at all really. That’s why it’s disingenuous and that’s my issue with the statement

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-js23 t1_jdmqjjs wrote

No, but if it is in a factory and enough fine particles are kicked up and mixed with the oxygen in the air, it can easily become an explosive. But it also could have easily have been a gas leak as much of that infrastructure is aging.

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DavidLieberMintz t1_jdmtv1p wrote

>It’s a fuel, and when mixed with oxygen in the right proportions and ignited, it will explode.

That means it's combustible, doesn't necessarily mean it's explosive. If any combustible material mixes with air and fills a room with an ignition source it will flashover and cause an explosion. But to say sugar is an explosive implies you could put a match to a bag of sugar and it'll go boom. So no, sugar is not "explosive."

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Accomplished-Pen4934 t1_jdmx6to wrote

Not sure why the downvotes, that’s Reddit for ya

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Socketfusion t1_jdos8ta wrote

Because they are in fact wrong. Fine sugar particulates suspended in air in an enclosed space can be sufficient fuel for an explosion. There are NFPA standards on it. But that's Reddit for ya.

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Socketfusion t1_jdos1vi wrote

Sugar "dust" when suspended in air in an enclosed space can create an explosive mix of fuel and air. In those cases the only fuel need is the suspended sugar particulates. There are NFPA standards on mitigating explosion risk in sugar processing facilities.

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Socketfusion t1_jdotueu wrote

Probably natural gas, at least initially. There may have been secondary dust explosions. To have that big of a dust explosion is unlikely because a very large amount of the building would have to be filled with a lot suspended dust. I know flammable dust explosions can be huge, but there were workers in those spaces so there would have to be significant control methods even if they weren't following safety rules. They probably wouldn't be able to work if there was that flour and or sugar dust in the air.

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18wheelapartment t1_jdl9o3t wrote

It was the front office. Management. Compare a street view to the news images.

Looks like I’m gonna be the first person to ask the uncomfortable question: was it a bomb?

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