On September 21, 2001, an explosion occurred at the AZF factory in Toulouse, one of the most serious industrial accidents in France. Around 10:17 AM, a large stock of ammonium nitrate (approximately 300 to 400 tons) exploded in building 221, creating a gigantic crater and a shockwave felt dozens of kilometers away. The toll was 31 dead, mostly on-site, and over 2,500 injured, along with thousands of homes and businesses damaged by the material destruction. Nearby neighborhoods and public infrastructures suffered massive destruction.
The investigation revealed that the explosion most likely resulted from an accidental mixture of ammonium nitrate and a chlorinated product used for waste treatment, accidentally spilled. The company Grande Paroisse (a Total subsidiary) and the plant director were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and injuries after 18 years of legal proceedings. Moreover, the catastrophe exposed institutional shortcomings, notably insufficient oversight and the passivity of regulatory authorities.
Following the events, a terrorist theory emerged but was quickly dismissed. The explosion had occurred just after the September 11, 2001 attacks, with the sabotage hypothesis fueling suspicion. There were also alternative theories suggesting a simultaneous explosion at the neighboring site (the SNPE) or the involvement of a strange electromagnetic pulse related to luminous phenomena observed just before the explosion, although these ideas lack solid foundations recognized by the scientific community.
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On September 21, 2001, an explosion occurred at the AZF factory in Toulouse, one of the most serious industrial accidents in France. Around 10:17 AM, a large stock of ammonium nitrate (approximately 300 to 400 tons) exploded in building 221, creating a gigantic crater and a shockwave felt dozens of kilometers away. The toll was 31 dead, mostly on-site, and over 2,500 injured, along with thousands of homes and businesses damaged by the material destruction. Nearby neighborhoods and public infrastructures suffered massive destruction.
The investigation revealed that the explosion most likely resulted from an accidental mixture of ammonium nitrate and a chlorinated product used for waste treatment, accidentally spilled. The company Grande Paroisse (a Total subsidiary) and the plant director were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and injuries after 18 years of legal proceedings. Moreover, the catastrophe exposed institutional shortcomings, notably insufficient oversight and the passivity of regulatory authorities.
Following the events, a terrorist theory emerged but was quickly dismissed. The explosion had occurred just after the September 11, 2001 attacks, with the sabotage hypothesis fueling suspicion. There were also alternative theories suggesting a simultaneous explosion at the neighboring site (the SNPE) or the involvement of a strange electromagnetic pulse related to luminous phenomena observed just before the explosion, although these ideas lack solid foundations recognized by the scientific community.