A Compendium on the Hazards of Water Transportation and the Manufacture, Handling, Storage, and Stowage of Ammonium Nitrate and Ammonium Nitrate Fertilizer (1953)

In April 1947, two ships taking on cargoes of a wax-coated ammonium nitrate fertilizer in paper bags, later called FGAN, caught fire at their docks in Texas City, Texas. The bagged material was ignited and burned violently before the major explosions. More than 600 lives were lost and property damage exceeded $100 million.

As part of an effort to establish regulations and prevent additional accidents, the United States Coast Guard enlisted the National Research Council (NRC) to provide advisory service. This Compendium serves as a record of the information gathered by the Government, by members of the industry, and by the NRC's advisory committee. This study examines the present understanding of the behavior of ammonium nitrate when exposed to fire or explosion and recommends precautions that should be observed for safety in the storage, shipboard stowage, and transportation on either land or water of the ammonium nitrate materials. It is meant to assist in further Government work and be of help to scientific and engineering investigators.

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