| Transport Disasters
The list of noteworthy transport disasters can
be downloaded (pdf format in English and Word format in Spanish)
in the TransAPELL
publication.
The second list presents a more comprehensive
database of transport accidents, and provides several links to news
articles.
Noteworthy Transport
Disasters
|
1978
|
Los Alfaques, Spain
|
A tanker delivering propane to a camp site exploded
|
216 people died and another 200 were injured
|
|
1989
|
Alaska, USA
|
About 40 million litres of crude oil spilled into the ocean
from the supertanker Exxon Valdez
|
Massive environmental damage. Clean up cost over US$2 billion
|
|
1990
|
Bangkok, Thailand
|
A tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) crashed in
Bangkok resulting in an LPG explosion
|
63 people killed, 90 injured
|
|
1996
|
Alberton, USA
|
A freight train derailed releasing around 59,000 kilos of
chlorine into the air and 64,000 litres of potassium hydroxide
solution into the soil
|
One person died instantly from acute chlorine exposure. 300
area residents who had inhaled chlorine were taken to hospital.
1000 people in Alberton and the surrounding area were evacuated
and over 1000 m 3 of soil were contaminated
|
|
1998
|
Kyrgyzstan
|
A truck transporting cyanide to a gold mine plunged off a
bridge.
|
Around 1800 kg of sodium cyanide were spilled into a river
upstream of several villages Within days hundreds, possibly
thousands of people sought treatment at medical clinics
|
|
1998
|
Nigeria
|
A fire and explosion in a leaking fuel pipeline
|
As many as 500 people are reported to have been killed with
32 communities being affected and farms and buildings destroyed
|
|
1999
|
France
|
8,000 tonnes of fuel oil escaped from the tanker, Erika
|
100 kilometres of coast were polluted. Many seabirds were
trapped in the oil. The spill had major economic effects on
fishing, oyster farming and tourism.
|
Accidents during the
transportation of hazardous materials
|
26 Apr. 1974
|
USA, Eagle Pass
|
Leakage of LPG during road transport
|
LPG
|
17 died p., 34 injured p.
|
|
30 Apr. 1974
|
JAPAN, Yokkaichi
|
Leakage of chlorine during a transhipment
|
Chlorine
|
521 injured p
|
|
1976, Feb 23
|
USA, Deer Park
|
Accident during road transportation of ammonia
|
Ammonia
|
5 died p., 200 injured p.
|
|
1976, May 11
|
USA, Houston
|
Accident during road transportation of ammonia
|
Ammonia
|
6 died p., 178 injured p.
|
|
1978, Feb
|
USA, Youngstown
|
Leakage of chlorine during rail transportation
|
Chlorine
|
8 died p., 138 injured p.
|
|
1979, Oct 1
|
GREECE, Suda Bay
|
Explosion during transportation of propane
|
Propane
|
7 died p., 140 injured p.
|
|
1979, Nov 10
|
CANADA, Mississauga ONT
|
Derailment of a train carrying dangerous goods 3 cars carrying
propane exploded, a chlorine tank was punctured, release of
chlorine in the air
|
Chlorine, Propane, LPG
|
250000 p. evacuated from the surrounding urban area
|
|
1981, Aug 4
|
MEXICO, Montanas
|
Accident during road transportation of chlorine
|
Chlorine
|
28 died p., 1000 injured p., 5000 evacuated p.
|
|
1983, May
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EGYPT, Nile River
|
Explosion during transportation of LPG
|
LPG
|
317 died p., 44 injured p.
|
|
1984, Dec 17
|
MEXICO, Matamoros
|
Accident during transportation of ammonia
|
Ammonia
|
182 injured p., 3000 evacuated p.
|
|
1987, July 7
|
USSR, Annau
|
Accident during transportation of chlorine
|
Chlorine
|
200 injured p
|
|
1988, July
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USSR, Chakhnounia
|
Leakage of pesticides during rail transportation
|
Pesticides
|
20000 evacuated p.
|
|
1998 Oct 20
|
NIGERIA, Idjerhe, Niger Delta
|
Fire explosion in a leaking pipeline carrying fuel
|
fuel
|
Over 500 died p., 32 communities mourn, many farms and houses
destroyed
|
|
1990, Jan 17
|
GERMANY, Ahlsfeld
|
Release of chlorine from a truck
|
Chlorine
|
More than 182 injured p.
|
|
1990 Sept 25
|
THAILAND, Bangkok
|
Crash of a tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas
|
Petroleum gas
|
63 p. died, more than 90 p. injured
|
|
1990, Sept 29
|
THAILAND, Bangkok
|
Accident during transportation of LPG
|
LPG
|
More than 51 died p., more than 54 injured p.
|
|
1991
Feb 13
|
USA, California
|
Overturn of a tractor-semitrailer (cargo tank) with the release
of automotive gasoline and fire
|
carmichael
|
3 p. injured, residents from a 2-mile-square area evacuated,
four homes destroyed. Total property damage and cleanup costs
for $1 million.
|
|
1991, Oct
|
INDIA, New Bombay
|
Accident during transportation of ammonia gas
|
Ammonia gas
|
1 died p., 150 injured p.
|
|
1994 Apr
|
INDIA, Thane District
|
Transportation accident
|
Chlorine gas
|
4 p. died, 298 p. injured
|
|
1994
June 9
|
USA Allentown, Pennsylvania
|
Natural gas distribution pipeline explosion and fire
|
Natural gas
|
1 died p., 66 injured p., more than $5 million of property
damage
|
|
1994
July 27
|
USA, New York
|
Propane truck collision and fire tank fractured, releasing
the propane.
|
Propane
|
1 died p., 23 p. injured, 400 feet radius area engulfed by
fire
|
|
1994 Nov 11
|
NIGERIA, Onitscha
|
Leakage of fuel oil during transportation causing fire of
the vehicle
|
Fuel oil
|
60 died p.
|
|
1994 Dec 14
|
MONZAMBIQUE, Palmeira
|
Transportation accident
|
Gas
|
36 died p.
|
|
1995 Dec
|
INDIA, Madras
|
Transportation accident
|
Fuel
|
Around 100 p. died, 23 p. injured
|
|
1995 Mar 12
|
INDIA, Mahrashtra
|
Transport accident
|
Ammonia gas
|
2000 p. injured
|
|
1996 Apr 11
|
USA, Alberton MT
|
Derailment of a train carrying dangerous goods 5 tank cars
leaked releasing 122000 pounds of chlorine gas
|
Sodium chlorate, Potassium Crystals, Chlorine
|
1000 p. evacuated, 300 p. light injured, 1200 yards of contaminated
soil had to be removed
|
|
1996
Aug 24
|
USA, Lively, Texas
|
Pipeline Rupture, Liquid Butane Release, and Fire
|
LPG, liquid butane
|
2 died p., 25 families were evacuated, damage to the roadway
and damage to properties, several outbuildings, and adjacent
woodlands
|
|
1997 Jan 2
|
JAPAN, Sea of Japan
|
Break in two of a Russian oil tanker in the Sea of Japan,
spilling 1.2 million gallons of fuel oil
|
Fuel oil
|
several clean-up workers died, 500 mile of coastal land contaminated
(including marine life/fisheries) and beaches polluted
|
|
1997 Jan 21
|
INDIA, Bhopal
|
Ammonia leakage during transportation
|
Ammonia
|
400 injured p.
|
|
1997 Jan
|
PAKISTAN, Lahore
|
Transportation accident
|
Chlorine
|
32 died p., 900 p. injured, 1000 p. evacuated
|
|
1997 Oct 25
|
SOUTH AFRICA, Stanger
|
Road accident
|
Petroleum
|
34 p. died, 2 p. injured
|
|
1998 Feb 14
|
CAMEROON Yaundi
|
Transportation accident
|
Petroleum products
|
220 p. died, 130 p. injured
|
|
1998
Aug 9
|
USA, Biloxi, Mississippi
|
Overflow of Gasoline and Fire at a Service Station-Convenience
Store
|
Gasoline
|
5 died p., 1 p. injured, damages for $55,000
|
|
1998 Oct 20
|
NIGERIA, Idjerhe, Niger Delta
|
Fire explosion in a leaking pipeline carrying fuel
|
fuel
|
Over 500 died p., 32 communities mourn, many farms and houses
destroyed
|
|
1999 Aug 2
|
INDIA, NEU-Jalpaiguri
|
Two trains crashed head-on
|
none
|
More than 200 p. died
|
|
1999 May 29
|
AUSTRIA, Tauertunnel-Brand
|
Crash of a lorry carrying lacquer into a queue of cars in
the tunnel
|
Lacquer
|
12 p. died, 50 p. injured, closure of the tunnel for 3 months,
17 millions D-Marks spent for the operation of reconstruction/renovation
|
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