Massive Chemical Plant Explosion...Danvers, MA

[The Mayor]

is 1/2 mile from my house...blew out my basement windows and knocked pictures off our walls at 2:45AM this morning...destroyed a whole neighborhood and the blast was felt 30-40 miles away...people in surrounding houses had to be evacuated and thank God no one was killed or seriously injured...the first explosion almost knocked me out of bed...I thought a plane had crashed...the two subsequent explosions shook the house even more...the flames were visible from my bedroom window and were shooting high into the sky...took a ride down to the scene and there was debris all over the streets...fire and police response was amazing as the first fire truck was there when I arrived 10 minutes after the explosion...utter chaos now for the surrounding area as local traffic will be shut down creating havoc on the side roads...news helicopters have been circling overhead since 4:30AM...looks like a Thanksgiving spent at Home Depot getting new windows...I'm sure the people that lost their homes could use some prayers.

 

[AMaloy314]

Sending up prayers for those families.

How fortunate no one was killed. Sounds like people have a reason to be truly thankful this year!

 

[newholidayx2]

Im assuming it also affected parts of Salem?
just turned on the news - thanks for the headsup

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I just heard this on the news a little while ago. My thoughts and prayers are with you guys.

 

[ducklite]

How sad for those who lost their homes, but thank God no one died. How scarey it must have been though! Glad you're OK!

Anne

 

[nealymouse]

How far is Lynn MA. from this explosion ?

 

[Charade]

Holy CoW!!! Glad you're ok.

 

[chris1gill]

And you are here on the Dis? My God man, you'd better get to home depot today as there is a LOT of rain coming in for tonight.... you need to get your windows covered up, or you'll have lots of water in your basement too.... (then you could have many more problems....)

The area is extremely lucky to not have any fatalities, it's just an amazing sight on TV, nevermind seeing it in person...

 

[ADisneygirl]

How terrible! That must have been so scary to wake up and hear all that. I am glad no one was killed. I will pray for all those affected, particularly for those who lost their homes.

I also agree with a previous poster who said get off the DIS and get to Home Depot! It will be chaos there as well as the day goes on.

 

[Boo'sMom]

Just heard this on the radio on my way in to work.

 

[Boo'sMom]

How far is Lynn MA. from this explosion ?

maybe 8-10 miles

 

[goofy4tink]

And you are here on the Dis? My God man, you'd better get to home depot today as there is a LOT of rain coming in for tonight.... you need to get your windows covered up, or you'll have lots of water in your basement too.... (then you could have many more problems....)

The area is extremely lucky to not have any fatalities, it's just an amazing sight on TV, nevermind seeing it in person...

That's funny!! Exactly what I was thinking.....get theeself to Home Depot as soon as they open!!! You poor people. Saw it on the news at 5:45 this morning as I got up and moving. Looks like a lot of THanksgiving dinners will be moved. Thank God no one was killed or severely injured.

 

[chris1gill]

I also agree with a previous poster who said get off the DIS and get to Home Depot! It will be chaos there as well as the day goes on.

Ugh, I hadn't even thought of the chaos at Home Depot when I posted! That should be a nightmare, although if you can travel anywhere up through the Salem NH area, it should be much less a nightmare than right in the general area... but the rain is due in by tonight at midnight...

 

[winniedapooh]

DS girlfriend and friend's of ours live about 1 1/2 miles from the site. GF called DS this AM to let him know they were fine, I just got off the phone with her parents and they are OK, scared but OK. We are heading out there Sunday to visit...sending out prayers to all involved.

 

[The Mayor]

And you are here on the Dis? My God man, you'd better get to home depot today as there is a LOT of rain coming in for tonight.... you need to get your windows covered up, or you'll have lots of water in your basement too.... (then you could have many more problems....)

The area is extremely lucky to not have any fatalities, it's just an amazing sight on TV, nevermind seeing it in person...

Was at Home Depot in Salem, MA when they opened at 7:00...have 4 new windows...insurance guy is coming at 9:30 and my freind who's a carpenter will be here at 1:00 to put the new windows in...so we will be ok for the weather...I have plastic up on the windows now to keep some of the cold out...many, many people though are not as lucky and won't be spending the holidays in their homes...we are lucky that we only lost a few windows and picture frames...I'm heading out now to take a walk down there and see how it's going.

 

[4cruisin]

We live about 10 miles away and it didn't wake us but my cat who is usually in a coma when I get up at 5 a.m. was wide awake and skittish. She obviously felt it.

I still cannot believe there are not more serious injuries. The destruction is awful. My fil lives about 3 miles away from the site and dh is calling him this a.m. He didn't want to call too early because they don't get up until the crack of 10 on a good day. I'm sure they are ok but dh will call in a bit.

Mayor, glad you are ok and have the repairs under control.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

Copied over from fox:

Explosion Sets Fire to Massachussetts Town

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

DANVERS, Massachusetts — An explosion at a U.S. chemical plant early Wednesday sparked a massive fire and destroyed homes and businesses, but caused only minor injuries, officials said.

The explosion just before 3 a.m. was felt miles away from the CAI Inc. plant in Danvers about 20 miles north of Boston.

About 10 people were injured, Danvers Fire Chief James P. Tutko said.

"With the exception of chest pains, we don't have anybody who's seriously injured," said Philip Cormier, the chief operating officer of Beverly Hospital, where he said "fewer than 10 patients" were treated.

Fred Grenier, 25, was asleep in a rear, second-floor bedroom with his girlfriend, Trisha Lynch, 22, about 200 yards from CAI Inc. when the explosion woke him up.

"The windows came caving in. The (air conditioner) fell right on me," he said.

His girlfriend's sister, Jennifer Lynch, was asleep in a bedroom that faced the plant and needed stitches for cuts on her face, Grenier said.

"There were windows gone, doors gone, vinyl sliding off the houses," Grenier said, describing the scene when he went outside.

Electricity was knocked out. "Everyone was out in the street making sure everybody's all right," he said. "When you went out on the front porch, you could feel the heat."

Other neighbors told WBZ-AM radio that they thought there had been an earthquake, and one compared the scene to footage of the Blitz in London during World War II.

Buildings were silhouetted in orange flames and smoke. Police prevented anyone from approaching the area.

People who live near the area, including residents of a facility for the deaf and a nursing home, were being evacuated to local schools.

CAI Inc. makes solvents and inks.

There is an Eastern Propane facility close to the CAI facility, but that was not the cause of the explosion, said company spokesman Jeff Taylor. He said all the company's tanks are secure, although the property suffered some minor damage.

Prayers to all those affected by this accident.

 

[emmabelle]

How far is Lynn MA. from this explosion ?

I live in Lynn, it's about 7 miles from my house and I definately heard the explosion. My friends sister lives right behind the explosion, she thinks she only has blown out windows thankfully, she had to evacute before she could really check out the damage.

 

[nealymouse]

Mayor, Im sorry I never asked about you. My DD lives in Lynn and I sort of forgot about everyone else.

Thank God there were no deaths and you are ok

 

[The Mayor]

They have all the roads blocked off a lot further away now and you can't get near the site...the EPA is there monitoring the air quality and they have the Coast Guard on the Danvers River due to chemical wash off from the firefighting efforts...a police officer told me that some chemicals got in the river but were floating on the top...they can't put the containment bags in the water yet as the tide is still coming in...here is a link to a local news station that is covering the blast...

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/10377955/detail.html