Flixborough Explosion

There's a blog entry on the Flixborough Explosion in "On This Day" In Engineering History. It may not exactly answer your question but may put you onto somne other leads besides the HSE website.

Owwww that's going back a bit.... about the mid 70's? perhaps earlier?

Have you tried googling for information? I guess it would be in some archive by now.

All I remember was that the factory was flattened and luckily was a good few miles away from any occupied houses, which ,as you said, suffered damage as a result...

Let me know if you find anything, i doubt if it was as bad as the recent (2005) Buncefield oil depot explosion, I'm only 6 miles from Buncefield and it rocked my house!!

John.

There is a book by Trevor Kletz 'Learning from Accidents' which has a chapter on the Flixborough explosion and gives some details on causes etc. There are references at the back of the chapter which should lead you to further information. There was an official report as well.

Even if this does not give you the information you require, the book is well worth reading as are most things written by Kletz.

Lord Justice Sir Roger Jocelyn Parker on the investigation trial 1974 released a report. It still can be found in some university libraries. Very good one.

When you google around you easily find out the other sources.

Then you have about 50% of the information. The other 50% we are still researching.

In 2007 some experts had the last official review between them in London.

Any survivors of the resident work force would be helpfull to comment.

Further to my earlier reply:

There is also a book called 'Unconfined Vapour Cloud Explosions' by Keith Gugan, published late 70s or early 80s. As I remember it, as well as giving the mathmatics for damage etc. from UVCEs (such as Flixborough), there was quite a bit on the Flixborough explosion. I seem to recall that there were several photographs of the damage caused by the explosion, although as I am getting on a bit, I may be wrong - it's some time since I read it.

thanks for the help guys

hi there. my dad was a fireman at the scene in 1974 i will ask him for you also both my parents moved to scunthorpe 3 years after the disaster not far from the plant, the house they bought was seriously damaged and so was many houses down the street i will find out what i can. andy

Flixborough UK Nypro 1974 is a cold case still, despite all experts.

Any people willing to solve the case are welcome.