Memo
TRANSPORT DISASTER
Major airplane, road, and rail accidents and shipwrecks all have in common that they involve fast-moving vehicles carrying large numbers of people or cargo, or substances that can cause direct or indirect harm to people and the environment.
Aircraft accidents can be caused by natural, technological or human factors (mechanical failure, negligence, etc.).
Railway accidents occur when trains collide or derail, during landslides, avalanches, etc., as well as during terrorist attacks.
Car accidents are the most common and cause the most damage.
The number of shipwrecks has decreased significantly due to improvements in ship design and navigation systems. However, a shipwreck can cause serious environmental disasters, especially when
occurs with a tanker or when containers with hazardous substances fall into the water.
VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
About 75% of all accidents in road transport occur due to drivers violating traffic rules. The most dangerous types of violations continue to be speeding, ignoring road signs, driving into oncoming traffic and driving while intoxicated. Very often, bad roads (mainly slippery ones) and vehicle malfunctions (in the first place - brakes, in second place - steering, in third place - wheels and tires) lead to accidents.
The peculiarity of car accidents is that 80% of the wounded die in the first three hours due to excessive blood loss.
HOW TO ACTION IF A COLLISION IS INEVITABLE
Maintain composure - this will allow you to control the car until the last opportunity. Tighten all your muscles to the limit, do not relax until you stop completely. Do everything to avoid an oncoming blow: a ditch, a fence, a bush, even a tree is better than a car coming at you. Remember that when colliding with a stationary object, the impact of the left or right fender is worse than the impact of the entire bumper. If an impact is imminent, protect your head. If the car is moving at low speed, press your back into the seat and, straining all your muscles, rest your hands on the steering wheel. If the speed exceeds 60 km/h and you are not wearing a seat belt, press your chest against the steering column.
If you are riding in the front passenger seat, cover your head with your hands and lie on your side, prone on the seat. While sitting in the back seat, try to fall to the floor. If there is a child next to you, cover him with yourself.
HOW TO ACT AFTER AN ACCIDENT
Determine where in the car and what position you are in, whether the car is on fire and whether gasoline is leaking (especially when tipping over). If the doors are jammed, exit the car through the windows by opening them or breaking them with heavy objects. After getting out of the car, move as far away from it as possible - there may be an explosion.
HOW TO ACTION WHEN A CAR FALLS INTO WATER
When falling into water, the car can stay afloat for some time, enough to leave it. Get out through the open window, because... When you open the door, the car will suddenly start to sink.
When diving to the bottom with the windows and doors closed, the air in the car's interior lasts for several minutes. Turn on the headlights (to make it easier to find the car), actively ventilate your lungs (deep inhalations and exhalations allow you to fill your blood with oxygen for future use), get rid of excess clothing, grab documents and money. Get out of the car through a door or window when the car is half filled with water, otherwise you will be hindered by the flow of water entering the cabin. If necessary, break the windshield with heavy objects at hand. Squeeze your way out, holding the roof of the car with your hands, and then suddenly swim up.
HOW TO ENSURE PERSONAL SAFETY WHEN DRIVING IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT
When on public transport, if there are no free seats, try to stand in the center of the cabin, holding on to the handrail for greater stability. Pay attention to the location of emergency and emergency exits.
Electric power supply of trams and trolleybuses creates an additional threat of electric shock to a person (especially in rainy weather), so seated areas are the safest. If you find that the interior is under voltage, leave it. In case of an accident, panic and crush may occur at the exits. In this case, use the emergency exit by pulling out the special cord and pushing out the glass.
In the event of a fire in the cabin, notify the driver, open the doors (using emergency opening), emergency exits or break a window. If there is a fire extinguisher in the cabin, take measures to eliminate the fire. Protect your respiratory system from smoke with a scarf, handkerchief or other items of clothing. Get out of the cabin, bending down and not touching metal parts, as in a tram and trolleybus you may be electrocuted.
If a bus falls into water, wait until the passenger compartment is half filled with water, hold your breath and emerge through a door, emergency exit or broken window.
AIR TRANSPORT ACCIDENTS
Aircraft accidents and catastrophes are possible for many reasons. Serious consequences are caused by the destruction of individual aircraft structures, engine failure, disruption of control systems, power supply, communications, piloting, lack of fuel, and interruptions in life support for the crew and passengers.
HOW TO PROCEED WITH DECOMPRESSION
DECOMPRESSION is the rarefaction of air in the aircraft cabin when its seal is broken. Rapid decompression usually begins with a deafening roar (air is escaping). The salon fills with dust and fog. Visibility is sharply reduced. Air quickly leaves a person's lungs and cannot be retained. Ringing in the ears and pain in the intestines may occur at the same time. In this case, without waiting for a command, immediately put on an oxygen mask. Do not try to help someone before you put on a mask yourself, even if it is your child: if you do not have time to help yourself and lose consciousness, you will both find yourself without oxygen. Immediately after putting on your mask, fasten your seat belt and prepare for a sharp descent.
HOW TO ACT IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE ON AN AIRPLANE
Remember that in the event of a fire on board an aircraft, the greatest danger is smoke, not fire. Breathe only through cotton or woolen items of clothing, if possible, moistened with water. When making your way to the exit, move crouched down or on all fours, as there is less smoke at the bottom of the cabin. Protect exposed areas of the body from direct exposure to fire using existing clothing, blankets, etc. After landing and stopping the plane, immediately head to the nearest exit, as there is a high probability of an explosion. If the passage is blocked, make your way through the chairs, lowering their backs. When evacuating, get rid of your hand luggage and avoid exiting through hatches near which there is an open fire or heavy smoke.
After leaving the plane, move as far away from it as possible and lie on the ground, pressing your head with your hands - an explosion is possible.
In any situation, act without panic and decisively, this will contribute to your salvation.
HOW TO ACT DURING A HARD LANDING AND AFTER IT
Carefully adjust your seat belt before each takeoff and landing. It should be firmly secured as low as possible near your hips. Check to see if there are any heavy suitcases overhead.
Accidents on takeoff and landing are sudden, so look out for smoke, sudden descent, engine stalls, etc. Clear your pockets of sharp objects, bend over and clasp your hands tightly behind your knees (or grab your ankles). Place your head on your knees or tilt it as low as possible. Place your feet on the floor, extending them as far as possible, but not under the front seat. At the moment of impact, tense up as much as possible and prepare for significant overload. Under no circumstances leave your seat until the plane comes to a complete stop, do not cause panic.
WATER TRANSPORT ACCIDENTS
Most major accidents and disasters on ships occur under the influence of hurricanes, storms, fog, ice, as well as through the fault of people - captains, pilots and crew members. Accidents often occur due to mistakes and errors in the design and construction of ships.
Among the preliminary protective measures, the passenger can be advised to remember the way from his cabin to the lifeboats on the upper deck, since during a disaster it is very difficult to navigate, especially when there is smoke and the ship is listing.
HOW TO PROCEED WHEN DISCHARGING FROM THE SHIP
Remember that the decision to abandon the ship is made only by the captain. When disembarking the vessel, follow the instructions of the crew members and observe the following rules:
First of all, places in the boats are given to women, children, the wounded and the elderly;
Before boarding a boat or life raft, put on plenty of clothing and a life jacket on top. If possible, load the lifeboat with blankets, extra clothing, an emergency radio, drinking water and food;
If you are forced to jump from the side of a ship into the water, then preferably from a height of no more than five meters, covering your mouth and nose with one hand, holding tightly to the vest with the other;
Since heat loss in water increases with every movement, swim only to a life-saving device;
After loading onto the life-saving craft, you must sail to a safe distance from the sinking ship (at least 100 m).
HOW TO ACTION IF THERE ARE NO LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT
When in the water, use a whistle or raise your hand to signal.
Move as little as possible to stay warm. Heat loss in water occurs several times faster than in air, so movements even in warm water should be limited to just staying afloat. Wearing a life jacket to keep warm, tuck yourself together, wrap your arms around your chest at the sides, and lift your hips higher so that less water washes over your groin area. This method will increase the estimated survival time in cold water by almost 50%. If you are not wearing a life jacket, look for some floating object and grab onto it to make it easier to stay afloat until rescuers arrive. Rest while lying on your back.
HOW TO ACT WHEN YOU ARE ON A RESCUE BOAT
Take seasickness pills. To conserve heat, stay close to other victims on the boat and do physical exercise. Let us drink only to the sick and wounded. On the high seas, if there is no reasonable hope of reaching the shore or entering the shipping lanes, try to stay with other boats near the place where the ship was lost.
Keep your feet as dry as possible. Elevate and move your legs regularly to relieve swelling. Never drink sea water. Retain fluid in your body by cutting down on unnecessary movements. To reduce sweating during the day, moisten your clothes, and to reduce the temperature inside the raft, moisten its outer shell with water. Drink no more than 500-600 ml of water per day, divided into numerous small doses with the largest dose in the evening. Eat only emergency food supplies. Save smoke bombs until there is a real chance that they will be noticed. Do not use checkers all together in the hope of discovering yourself; entrust their use to one person.
Do not panic! Remember, the average adult can survive 3 to 10 days without drinking. With a diet of 500-600 ml of water per day, a reasonably acting adult can survive even in the tropics for at least 10 days without serious changes in the body. You can live without food for a month or more.
Illustration copyright RIA Novosti Image caption The accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station claimed the lives of 75 people
Among the largest man-made disasters in the modern history of Russia are accidents in mines and power plants, the loss of aircraft and ships, fires and collapses of building roofs.
A methane explosion at the Zyryanovskaya mine in the Kemerovo region killed 67 people. It was reported that the accident occurred during a shift change at the mining face. The main reason was identified as the human factor: the combine operator crushed the miner's self-rescuer (personal protective equipment against toxic combustion products), which provoked an explosion of methane gas that suddenly appeared in the face, followed by an explosion of coal dust.
A week before the explosion, a gas outbreak occurred at the mine, resulting in burns to five workers. However, the operation of the mine was not stopped. Experts note that none of the mine’s management was punished as a result of the investigation. Over the next ten years, the accident in Novokuznetsk remained the largest disaster in Kuzbass.
During naval exercises of the Russian fleet in the Barents Sea, the K-141 Kursk nuclear submarine with cruise missiles sank. According to the official version, a torpedo explosion occurred on the submarine, which was launched in May 1994, due to leakage of fuel components. The fire that broke out two minutes after the first explosion resulted in the detonation of the torpedoes located in the first compartment of the boat.
The second explosion led to even more significant destruction. As a result, all 118 crew members were killed. As a result of the submarine recovery operation, completed a year later, 115 bodies of dead sailors were found and buried. "Kursk" was considered the best submarine of the Northern Fleet. Among other versions of the death of the Kursk, it was argued that it could have been torpedoed by an American submarine.
The Vladivostok Air plane, flying on the Yekaterinburg-Irkutsk route, crashed during landing. As a result of the tragedy, 144 people died. In the conclusion of the state commission, the cause of the disaster was identified as the erroneous actions of the crew. During the landing maneuver, speed was lost, after which the commander lost the ability to control the aircraft
Five years later, on July 9, 2006, while landing at the same Irkutsk airport, a Siberia Airlines plane failed to stop on the runway, rolled off the runway and crashed into a garage complex. The investigation determined that the aircraft had engine problems due to crew error. Of the 203 people on board, 124 died.
A fire broke out in one of the dormitory buildings of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia at night, when most of the students were sleeping. The fire started in a room that was empty at the time of the fire. The fire spread to four floors. Students and university employees jumped out of windows on these floors and were seriously injured, some falling to their deaths. The fire claimed the lives of 44 people, mostly foreign students, and about 180 people were hospitalized with burns and injuries. The court found six people guilty of the fire, including the vice-rector for administrative and economic activities of the university and the chief engineer of the university, as well as the inspector of the State Fire Inspectorate of the South-Western Administrative District of Moscow, who received the most severe punishment - two years of imprisonment in a penal colony.
As a result of the collapse of the roof of a sports and entertainment complex in the south-west of Moscow, 28 people were killed, including eight children, and about 200 more people suffered injuries of varying severity. At the time of the accident, in the water park, which opened in June 2002, there were, according to various sources, from 400 to a thousand people, many of whom were celebrating Valentine's Day.
Among the main versions of the collapse that were considered by the investigation were violations in the design and construction of the building, as well as its improper operation. The capital's prosecutor's office concluded that the chief designer of the water park project, Nodar Kancheli, was guilty, but then dropped the criminal case due to an amnesty.
Early in the morning in Moscow, the roof of the Basmanny Market, covering an area of approximately 2,000 square meters, collapsed. meters. A total of 66 people were killed, and dozens of people were pulled out of the wreckage alive. Two months after the disaster, a Moscow government commission made a decision that what happened was a consequence of systematic improper operation of the building throughout its entire service life.
The designer of the market's floors was Nodar Kancheli, the designer of Transvaal Park, whose roof collapsed two years earlier. The commission established that the market roof collapsed due to the break of one of the cable cables on which it was supported. And the break itself was the result of several reasons, including corrosion of the cable and unscheduled reconstruction of the building.
The accident at the Ulyanovskaya mine in the Kemerovo region claimed the lives of 110 people. It was possible to save 93 miners. The Russian Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision announced that there were “gross violations of safety rules” at the Ulyanovskaya mine.
The regional governor, Aman Tuleyev, said that on the day of the accident, equipment was being installed at the mine to detect and localize gas leaks. Almost the entire mine management went underground to check the operation of the system and died in the explosion. Three years later, the investigative committee at the prosecutor's office, after conducting an additional investigation, opened another criminal case into the accident at Ulyanovskaya. Accidents with so many casualties had never happened before in the mines of the USSR and Russia.
An Aeroflot-Nord plane, flying on the Moscow-Perm route, crashed during landing. As a result of the collision with the ground, all people on board died - 88 people, including 7 children. Among the dead was the presidential adviser, hero of Russia, Colonel General Gennady Troshev.
This accident was the first for a Boeing 737 aircraft in Russia. The systemic cause of the incident was called “the insufficient level of organization of flight and technical operation of Boeing 737 aircraft at the airline.” In addition, according to the results of a forensic examination, it was established that there was ethyl alcohol in the ship’s commander’s body before his death.
The largest hydroelectric power station in Russia and the sixth in the world - Sayano-Shushenskaya - was stopped on August 17, when water rushed into the turbine hall. Three of the ten hydroelectric generating units were completely destroyed, and all the others were damaged.
Rehabilitation work on the hydroelectric power station on the Yenisei River is expected to take several years and, in the best case, will be completed in 2014. The largest accident in the history of Russian and Soviet hydropower engineering led to the death of 75 people. The Russian State Duma commission, which investigated the causes of the accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station, named the names of about 20 station workers who, in its opinion, were involved in the tragedy.
The deputies recommended dismissing, among others, the general director of the hydroelectric power station, Nikolai Nevolko, and the chief engineer, Andrei Mitrofanov. In December 2010, the former director of the hydroelectric power station, Nevolko, was charged with “violation of safety regulations and other labor protection rules, resulting in the death of two or more persons.”
The largest fire in terms of the number of victims in the history of post-Soviet Russia occurred in the Perm nightclub "Lame Horse". According to investigators, it started during a pyrotechnics show, when sparks hit the ceiling, made of dry wooden rods, and caused a fire. A crush immediately began in the club, due to which not everyone managed to get out of the cramped room.
The fire at Lame Horse resulted in the death of 156 people, and several dozen people received varying degrees of burns. In connection with the incident, a number of officials and fire officials were fired, and the government of the Perm region resigned in its entirety. In June 2011, Spanish law enforcement agencies extradited Konstantin Mrykhin, whom investigators call the co-founder of the club, to their Russian colleagues. Besides him, eight other people are involved in the case.
At one of the largest coal mines in the world, located in the Kemerovo region, two methane explosions occurred within a few hours of each other, resulting in the death of 91 people. In total, about 360 miners were trapped underground; most of the miners were rescued.
In December 2010, 15 people who were in the mine at the time of the accident and were listed as missing were declared dead by a court decision. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that Rostekhnadzor authorities have repeatedly made complaints about the condition of equipment at Raspadskaya, but the mine management did not respond to them in any way.
Mine director Igor Volkov, who was charged with violating safety rules, resigned. The management of Raspadskaya estimated its damage at 8.6 billion rubles.
The double-deck diesel-electric ship "Bulgaria", which was sailing from the city of Bolgar to Kazan, sank three kilometers from the coast. One of the factors that allegedly led to the disaster is the ship's overload. According to some information, after the alteration, the ship was designed to carry 140 passengers. However, many more tickets for the river cruise on July 10 were sold. A quarter of those on board were children.
By the morning of July 14, the bodies of 105 people killed in the crash had been discovered, the fate of another 24 remains unknown. 79 passengers and crew members were saved. In connection with the death of the "Bulgaria", the Vasilyevsky Court of Kazan has already arrested two people who are suspected of "providing services that do not meet safety requirements" - Svetlana Inyakina, general director of the company "ArgoRechTour", which was a subtenant of the motor ship "Bulgaria", and Yakov Ivashov, senior expert of the Kama branch of the Russian River Register.
About 1,000 emergencies occur in Russia every year, not counting small domestic fires, destruction of empty houses and other incidents that do not result in casualties or large material costs. Accidents and disasters at industrial enterprises deserve increased attention. This is due to the fact that they take lives and also cause large material losses on a par with natural disasters, domestic gas explosions and house collapses. Every year, property worth billions of rubles suffers from fires on the territory of the Russian Federation.
The greatest threat in terms of accidents and disasters is posed by enterprises where explosive gases are involved, explosives and dangerous toxic chemicals are stored. Modern nuclear power plants have better protection. Despite the scale of the possible consequences, cases of accidents over the entire existence of nuclear power plants are rare.
The main causes of accidents and disasters include obsolete equipment, non-compliance with safety regulations, interference in the operation of equipment, as well as errors in the design of industrial facilities. In this article we will look at the chronology of the largest accidents at industrial enterprises in the history of Russia from 1991 to 2015.
1991
Ufa oil refinery. In September, a pipe broke at an altitude of 150 meters. The mass of the suspended fragment exceeded 700 tons. The consequences of the fall were compared by analysts to a magnitude 9 earthquake. Fortunately, disaster was avoided. A unique emergency response operation was carried out, which was included in the Guinness Book of Records. It should be noted that this was the first operation of the newly formed Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. To eliminate the consequences, 350 kg were secured in the area of the fragment. explosives. A targeted explosion made it possible to lay the pipe without damaging the unique plant.
1992
Artillery storage facility of the Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok. The fire led to the partial detonation of shells and explosives. To eliminate the consequences of the emergency, 240 tons of water sprayed from an IL-76TD aircraft over 6 flights were used.
1993
Engine plant of JSC "KAMAZ", Naberezhnye Chelny. As a result of the largest fire in 20 years, more than 200 thousand m2 of territory were damaged. The central production building and equipment were completely destroyed. The consequences of the fire reduced the plant's production capacity.
1994
JSC "Arkon" February. There was a critical leak of chlorine on the premises of the enterprise. The release of chemically hazardous substances required a large-scale operation by the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The actions of rescuers were aimed at helping and evacuating citizens caught in the impact zone. After ensuring the safety of the population, department employees began eliminating the leak.
1995
Vorkutinskaya mine, Komi Republic. March. A methane explosion occurred in one of the mines. Significant resources of the Ministry of Emergency Situations were involved in the rescue operation. As a result, more than 200 miners were brought to the surface.
Mine "Pervomaiskaya", Berezovsky. September. To eliminate the incident, 13 pieces of equipment and more than 50 rescuers were involved.
1997
Mine "Zyryanskaya", Novokuznetsk. December. A methane explosion occurred in lava No. 1401. The main reason for the advent was the human factor. As a result of the explosion 1200m. workings were damaged or blocked. The impact of methane caused damage to an area of 17,454 m.
1998
Mine "Central", Vorkuta. January. An explosion of coal dust and methane led to partial rubble and a prolonged fire, resulting in increased smoke. On the lower horizon, 27 people were trapped under the rubble. During the most complex operation, which lasted several days, 23 people were rescued and 4 dead were found.
2002
Vorkutinskaya mine, Kemerovo region. January. A methane explosion occurred in the lava located at a depth of 720 meters. At this time there were 86 miners in the mine. Their rescue began after the fire was extinguished. 69 people survived.
2003
Mine "Zapadnaya-Kapitalnaya", Novoshakhtinsk, Rostov region. October. The groundwater breakthrough caused a blackout of electricity and communications. At this time, there were 71 people at the mine face. At the beginning of the rescue operation, 25 miners were rescued. After many hours of hard work, rescuers were able to evacuate another 24 people.
2005 year.
Mine "Esaulskaya", Kemerovo region. February. As a result of the explosion, a partial collapse of the mine occurred. Four miners were able to get out on their own and were hospitalized. Eliminating the consequences of the explosion required the work of 150 rescuers.
2006
Mine "Central", Vershino-Darsunsky mine, Transbaikalia. In September there was a serious fire. As a result of the rescue operation, the lives of 39 people were saved. To eliminate the consequences of the fire, more than 380 specialists and 40 pieces of equipment had to be involved.
2007
Ulyanovskaya mine, Kemerovo region. March. There was a serious explosion in the mine. As a result of the actions taken, 93 people were saved and the bodies of 110 dead were recovered.
Mine "Yubileinaya", Novokuznetsk. May. There was a methane explosion. Of the 217 miners in the mine, 179 were rescued. More than 330 people and about 60 pieces of equipment took part in the operation.
Komsomolskaya mine, Vorkuta. June. There was a methane explosion. Of the 277 people in the mine, 263 survived.
year 2009.
Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station. August. As a result of the accident, the second hydraulic unit was destroyed, which caused flooding of the turbine room. Almost immediately, 75 people died. During the operation, which lasted almost 8 days, it was possible to eliminate the consequences of the accident and save 14 people.
Ammunition Arsenal, Ulyanovsk. November. Due to the fire, an explosion occurred and fragments scattered. 1013 people were evacuated from the accident zone. As a result of the incident, 36 people were injured and 1 was killed.
year 2014.
Oil refinery, Krasnoyarsk region. June. The explosion of the distillation column led to a fire that engulfed 400 m2 of the plant area. The fire damaged the adjacent administrative building.
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Humanity will never forget the accident on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform. An explosion and fire occurred on April 20, 2010, 80 kilometers off the coast of Louisiana, at the Macondo oilfield. The oil spill was the largest in US history and virtually destroyed the Gulf of Mexico. We remembered the largest man-made and environmental disasters in the world, some of which are almost worse than the Deepwater Horizon tragedy.
Could the accident have been avoided? Man-made disasters often occur as a consequence of natural disasters, but also because of worn-out equipment, greed, negligence, inattention... The memory of them serves as an important lesson for humanity, because natural disasters can harm people, but not the planet, but man-made ones pose a threat to absolutely the entire surrounding world.
15. Explosion at a fertilizer plant in the city of West - 15 victims
On April 17, 2013, an explosion occurred at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas. The explosion occurred at 19:50 local time and completely destroyed the plant, which belonged to the local company Adair Grain Inc. The explosion destroyed a school and a nursing home located near the plant. About 75 buildings in the city of West were seriously damaged. The explosion killed 15 people and injured about 200 people. Initially, there was a fire at the plant, and the explosion occurred while firefighters were trying to control the fire. At least 11 firefighters were killed.
Witnesses said the explosion was so strong that it was heard about 70 km from the plant, and the US Geological Survey recorded ground vibrations of magnitude 2.1. “It was like an atomic bomb explosion,” said eyewitnesses. Residents in several areas near West were evacuated due to a leak of ammonia used in the production of fertilizers, and authorities warned everyone about the leak of toxic substances. A no-fly zone was introduced over West at an altitude of up to 1 km. The city resembled a war zone...
In May 2013, a criminal case was opened into the explosion. The investigation found that the company stored the chemicals that caused the explosion in violation of safety requirements. The US Chemical Safety Board found that the company failed to take adequate measures to prevent the fire and explosion. In addition, at that time there were no rules that would prohibit the storage of ammonium nitrate near populated areas.
14. Flooding of Boston with molasses - 21 victims
The molasses flood in Boston occurred on January 15, 1919, after a giant molasses tank exploded in Boston's North End, sending a wave of sugar-containing liquid sweeping through the city's streets at high speed. 21 people died, about 150 were hospitalized. The disaster occurred at the Purity Distilling Company during Prohibition (fermented molasses was widely used to produce ethanol at the time). On the eve of the introduction of a complete ban, the owners tried to make as much rum as possible...
Apparently, due to metal fatigue in an overflowing tank with 8700 m³ of molasses, the sheets of metal connected by rivets came apart. The ground shook and a wave of molasses up to 2 meters high poured into the streets. The pressure of the wave was so great that it moved the freight train off the tracks. Nearby buildings were flooded to a height of one meter and some collapsed. People, horses, and dogs got stuck in the sticky wave and died from suffocation.
A Red Cross mobile hospital was deployed in the disaster zone, a US Navy unit entered the city - the rescue operation lasted a week. The molasses was removed using sand, which absorbed the viscous mass. Although the factory owners blamed the anarchists for the explosion, the townspeople extracted payments from them totaling $600,000 (approximately $8.5 million today). According to Bostonians, even now on hot days a cloying smell of caramel emanates from old houses...
13. Explosion at the Phillips chemical plant in 1989 - 23 victims
The explosion at the Phillips Petroleum Company chemical plant occurred on October 23, 1989, in Pasadena, Texas. Due to an oversight by employees, a large leak of flammable gas occurred, and a powerful explosion occurred, equivalent to two and a half tons of dynamite. A tank containing 20,000 gallons of isobutane gas exploded and the chain reaction caused 4 more explosions.
During scheduled maintenance, the air ducts on the valves were accidentally closed. Thus, the control room displayed that the valve was open, while it appeared to be closed. This led to the formation of a cloud of steam, which exploded at the slightest spark. The initial explosion registered a magnitude of 3.5 on the Richter scale and debris from the explosion was found within a 6 mile radius of the explosion.
Many of the fire hydrants failed, and the water pressure in the remaining hydrants dropped significantly. It took firefighters more than ten hours to bring the situation under control and completely extinguish the flames. 23 people were killed and another 314 were injured.
12. Fire at a pyrotechnics factory in Enschede in 2000 - 23 victims
On May 13, 2000, as a result of a fire at the S.F. pyrotechnics factory. Fireworks in the Dutch city of Enshede, an explosion occurred, killing 23 people, including four firefighters. The fire started in the central building and spread to two full containers of fireworks illegally stored outside the building. Several subsequent explosions occurred with the largest explosion felt as far away as 19 miles.
During the fire, a significant part of the Rombek district was burned and destroyed - 15 streets were burned, 1,500 houses were damaged, and 400 houses were destroyed. In addition to the deaths of 23 people, 947 people were injured and 1,250 people were left homeless. Fire crews arrived from Germany to help fight the fire.
When S.F. Fireworks built a pyrotechnics factory in 1977, it was located far from the city. As the city grew, new low-cost housing surrounded the warehouses, causing terrible destruction, injury and death. Most local residents had no idea that they lived in such close proximity to a pyrotechnics warehouse.
11. Explosion at a chemical plant in Flixborough - 64 victims
An explosion occurred in Flixborough, England on June 1, 1974, killing 28 people. The accident happened at the Nipro plant, which produced ammonium. The disaster caused a whopping £36 million in property damage. British industry had never known such a catastrophe. The chemical plant at Flixborough virtually ceased to exist.
A chemical plant near the village of Flixborough specialized in the production of caprolactam, the starting product for synthetic fiber.
The accident happened like this: the bypass pipeline connecting reactors 4 and 6 ruptured, and steam began to escape from the outlets. A cloud of cyclohexane vapor containing several tens of tons of substance was formed. The source of the cloud's ignition was probably a torch from a hydrogen installation. Due to the accident at the plant, an explosive mass of heated vapors was released into the air, the slightest spark was enough to ignite them. 45 minutes after the accident, when the mushroom cloud reached the hydrogen plant, a powerful explosion occurred. The explosion in its destructive force was equivalent to the explosion of 45 tons of TNT, detonated at a height of 45 m.
About 2,000 buildings outside the plant were damaged. In the village of Amcotts, located on the other side of the River Trent, 73 of the 77 houses were badly damaged. In Flixborough, located 1200 m from the center of the explosion, 72 of 79 houses were destroyed. The explosion and subsequent fire killed 64 people, 75 people inside and outside the enterprise received injuries of varying severity.
Plant engineers, under pressure from the owners of the Nipro company, often deviated from the established technological regulations and ignored safety requirements. The sad experience of this disaster showed that in chemical plants it is necessary to have a fast-acting automatic fire extinguishing system that allows fires of solid chemicals to be eliminated within 3 seconds.
10. Hot steel spill - 35 victims
On April 18, 2007, 32 people were killed and 6 injured when a ladle containing molten steel fell at the Qinghe Special Steel Corporation plant in China. Thirty tons of liquid steel, heated to 1500 degrees Celsius, fell from an overhead conveyor. Liquid steel burst through the doors and windows into the adjacent room where the workers on duty shift were located.
Perhaps the most horrific fact discovered during the study of this disaster is that it could have been prevented. The immediate cause of the accident was the unlawful use of substandard equipment. The investigation concluded that there were a number of deficiencies and safety violations that contributed to the accident.
When emergency services reached the scene of the disaster, they were stopped by the heat of molten steel and were unable to reach the victims for a long time. After the steel began to cool, they discovered 32 victims. Surprisingly, 6 people miraculously survived the accident and were taken to the hospital with severe burns.
9. Oil train crash in Lac-Mégantic - 47 victims
An explosion of an oil train occurred on the evening of July 6, 2013 in the town of Lac-Mégantic in Quebec, Canada. The train, owned by The Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway and carrying 74 tanks of crude oil, derailed. As a result, several tanks caught fire and exploded. 42 people are known to have died, and another 5 people are listed as missing. As a result of the fire that engulfed the city, approximately half of the buildings in the city center were destroyed.
In October 2012, epoxy materials were used during engine repairs on the GE C30-7 #5017 diesel locomotive to quickly complete the repairs. During subsequent operation, these materials deteriorated, and the locomotive began to smoke heavily. Leaking fuel and lubricants accumulated in the turbocharger housing, which led to a fire on the night of the crash.
The train was driven by driver Tom Harding. At 23:00 the train stopped at Nantes station, on the main route. Tom contacted the dispatcher and reported problems with the diesel engine, strong black exhaust; the solution to the problem with the diesel locomotive was postponed until the morning, and the driver went to spend the night at a hotel. A train with a running diesel locomotive and dangerous cargo was left overnight at an unmanned station. At 11:50 p.m., 911 received a report of a fire on the lead locomotive. The compressor did not work in it, and the pressure in the brake line decreased. At 00:56 the pressure dropped to such a level that the hand brakes could not hold the cars and the out of control train went downhill towards Lac-Mégantic. At 00:14, the train derailed at a speed of 105 km/h and ended up in the city center. The cars derailed, explosions followed and burning oil spilled along the railway.
People in a nearby cafe, feeling the tremors of the earth, decided that an earthquake had started and hid under tables, as a result they did not have time to escape from the fire... This train accident became one of the deadliest in Canada.
8. Accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station - at least 75 victims
The accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station is an industrial man-made disaster that occurred on August 17, 2009 - a “black day” for the Russian hydropower industry. As a result of the accident, 75 people died, the equipment and premises of the station were seriously damaged, and electricity production was suspended. The consequences of the accident affected the ecological situation of the water area adjacent to the hydroelectric power station, as well as the social and economic spheres of the region.
At the time of the accident, the hydroelectric power station carried a load of 4100 MW, out of 10 hydraulic units, 9 were in operation. At 8:13 local time on August 17, the destruction of hydraulic unit No. 2 occurred with significant volumes of water flowing through the hydraulic unit shaft under high pressure. Power plant personnel who were in the turbine room heard a loud bang and saw the release of a powerful column of water.
Streams of water quickly flooded the machine room and the rooms below it. All hydraulic units of the hydroelectric power station were flooded, while short circuits occurred on the operating hydraulic units (their flashes are clearly visible on the amateur video of the disaster), which put them out of action.
The lack of obviousness of the causes of the accident (according to Russian Energy Minister Shmatko, “this is the largest and most incomprehensible hydropower accident that has ever happened in the world”) gave rise to a number of versions that were not confirmed (from terrorism to water hammer). The most likely cause of the accident is fatigue failure of the studs that occurred during the operation of hydraulic unit No. 2 with a temporary impeller and an unacceptable level of vibration in 1981-83.
7. Piper Alpha explosion - 167 victims
On July 6, 1988, an oil production platform in the North Sea called Piper Alpha was destroyed by an explosion. The Piper Alpha platform, installed in 1976, was the largest structure on the Piper site, owned by the Scottish company Occidental Petroleum. The platform was located 200 km north-east of Aberdeen and served as the control center for oil production at the site. The platform contained a helipad and a residential module for 200 oil workers working in shifts. On July 6, an unexpected explosion occurred on the Piper Alpha. The fire that engulfed the platform did not even give the staff the opportunity to send an SOS signal.
As a result of a gas leak and subsequent explosion, 167 people out of 226 on the platform at that moment were killed, only 59 survived. It took 3 weeks to extinguish the fire, with high winds (80 mph) and 70-foot waves. The final cause of the explosion could not be established. According to the most popular version, there was a gas leak on the platform, as a result of which a small spark was enough to start the fire. The Piper Alpha accident led to significant criticism and subsequent review of safety standards for oil production in the North Sea.
6. Fire in Tianjin Binhai - 170 victims
On the night of August 12, 2015, two explosions broke out at a container storage area in the port of Tianjin. At 22:50 local time, reports began to arrive about a fire at the warehouses of the Ruihai company located in the port of Tianjin, which transports hazardous chemicals. As investigators later found out, it was caused by spontaneous combustion of nitrocellulose that had dried and heated in the summer sun. Within 30 seconds of the first explosion, a second explosion occurred - a container containing ammonium nitrate. The local seismological service estimated the power of the first explosion at 3 tons of TNT equivalent, the second at 21 tons. Firefighters who arrived at the scene were unable to stop the spread of the fire for a long time. The fires raged for several days and 8 more explosions occurred. The explosions created a huge crater.
The explosions killed 173 people, injured 797, and left 8 people missing. . Thousands of Toyota, Renault, Volkswagen, Kia and Hyundai vehicles were damaged. 7,533 containers, 12,428 vehicles and 304 buildings were destroyed or damaged. In addition to death and destruction, the damage amounted to $9 billion. It turned out that three apartment buildings were built within a one-kilometer radius of the chemical warehouse, which is prohibited by Chinese law. Authorities have charged 11 officials from the city of Tianjin in connection with the explosion. They are accused of negligence and abuse of power.
5. Val di Stave, dam failure - 268 victims
In northern Italy, above the village of Stave, the Val di Stave dam collapsed on July 19, 1985. The accident destroyed 8 bridges, 63 buildings, and killed 268 people. Following the disaster, an investigation found that there had been poor maintenance and little operational safety margins.
In the upper of the two dams, rainfall had caused the drainage pipe to become less effective and become clogged. Water continued to flow into the reservoir and the pressure in the damaged pipe increased, also causing pressure on the shore rock. The water began to penetrate the soil, liquefy into the mud and weaken the banks until finally erosion occurred. In just 30 seconds, water and mud flows from the upper dam broke through and poured into the lower dam.
4. The collapse of a waste heap in Namibia - 300 victims
By 1990, Nambia, a mining community in southeastern Ecuador, had a reputation for being "environmentally hostile." The local mountains were pitted by miners, riddled with holes from mining, the air humid and filled with chemicals, toxic gases from the mine and a huge waste heap.
On May 9, 1993, most of the coal slag mountain at the end of the valley collapsed, killing about 300 people in a landslide. 10,000 people lived in the village in an area of about 1 square mile. Most of the town's houses were built right at the entrance to the mine tunnel. Experts have long warned that the mountain has become almost hollow. They said that further coal mining would lead to landslides, and after several days of heavy rains the soil softened and the worst predictions came true.
3. Texas explosion - 581 victims
A man-made disaster occurred on April 16, 1947 in the port of Texas City, USA. A fire on board the French ship Grandcamp led to the detonation of about 2,100 tons of ammonium nitrate (ammonium nitrate), which led to a chain reaction in the form of fires and explosions on nearby ships and oil storage facilities.
The tragedy killed at least 581 people (including all but one of the Texas City Fire Department), injured more than 5,000, and sent 1,784 to hospitals. The port and a large part of the city were completely destroyed, many businesses were razed to the ground or burned down. More than 1,100 vehicles were damaged and 362 freight cars were mangled, with property damage estimated at $100 million. These events sparked the first class action lawsuit against the US government.
The court found the Federal Government guilty of criminal negligence committed by government agencies and their representatives involved in the production, packaging and labeling of ammonium nitrate, aggravated by gross errors in its transportation, storage, loading and fire safety measures. 1,394 compensations totaling approximately $17 million were paid.
2. Bhopal disaster - up to 160,000 victims
This is one of the worst man-made disasters that occurred in the Indian city of Bhopal. As a result of an accident at a chemical plant owned by the American chemical company Union Carbide, which produces pesticides, a toxic substance, methyl isocyanate, was released. It was stored at the factory in three partially buried tanks, each of which could hold about 60,000 liters of liquid.
The cause of the tragedy was the emergency release of methyl isocyanate vapor, which in the factory tank heated above the boiling point, which led to an increase in pressure and rupture of the emergency valve. As a result, on December 3, 1984, about 42 tons of toxic fumes were released into the atmosphere. A cloud of methyl isocyanate covered nearby slums and the railway station, located 2 km away.
The Bhopal disaster is the largest in terms of casualties in modern history, causing the immediate death of at least 18 thousand people, of which 3 thousand died directly on the day of the accident, and 15 thousand in subsequent years. According to other sources, the total number of victims is estimated at 150-600 thousand people. The large number of victims is explained by the high population density, late informing residents about the accident, lack of medical personnel, as well as unfavorable weather conditions - a cloud of heavy vapors was carried by the wind.
Union Carbide, which was responsible for the tragedy, paid victims $470 million in an out-of-court settlement in 1987 in exchange for a waiver of claims. In 2010, an Indian court found seven former Indian executives of Union Carbide guilty of negligence causing death. Those convicted were sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of 100 thousand rupees (approximately $2,100).
1. Banqiao Dam tragedy - 171,000 dead
The designers of the dam cannot even be blamed for this disaster; it was designed for severe floods, but this was completely unprecedented. In August 1975, the Banqiao Dam burst during a typhoon in western China, killing about 171,000 people. The dam was built in the 1950s to generate electricity and prevent flooding. Engineers designed it with a safety margin of a thousand years.
But on those fateful days in early August 1975, Typhoon Nina immediately produced more than 40 inches of rain, exceeding the area's annual rainfall total in just one day. After several days of even more heavy rain, the dam gave way and was washed away on August 8th.
The dam failure caused a wave 33 feet high, 7 miles wide, traveling at 30 mph. In total, more than 60 dams and additional reservoirs were destroyed due to the failure of the Banqiao Dam. The flood destroyed 5,960,000 buildings, killed 26,000 people immediately and another 145,000 died later as a result of famine and epidemics due to the natural disaster.
Calculate, what type of transport is the safest, not so simple. To build a beautiful and visual graph, at least two indicators are required - the number of dead or injured, as well as the number of people who use this type of transport. For air, rail and water transport, this data is not difficult to find, because thanks to tickets, every person is taken into account. But there are problems with automobile transport. It is not possible to track the movements of the average Russian from work, to work and to the store - no one registers at the doorstep of their home.
Our transport safety rating according to statistics for 2018 was compiled using various sources - from data from the National Union of Insurers, which keeps statistics of registered insurance cases from 2012 to the present, to data on transport accidents on the Rosstat website.
> 200 deaths per 1.6 billion km
Although the number of accidents involving motorcyclists has decreased by more than 70% since 2005, the motorcycle remains one of the most dangerous forms of transport. According to statistics, it turns out that every 1.6 billion km of travel is paid for with the lives of more than two hundred drivers and their passengers.
A motorcycle, like another two-wheeled vehicle - a bicycle - is characterized by increased vulnerability, so accidents involving motorcyclists are highly likely to end sadly. The reason is non-compliance with traffic rules, and, surprisingly, the fundamental refusal of some drivers to use a helmet.
5.75 people per 1.6 billion km
Personal cars are in second place in terms of the number of road accidents. In just 1.6 billion km of travel, at least 5.75 people die.
The reasons include the reluctance of drivers to comply with traffic rules, the condition of the road surface, the increased wear and tear of the vehicle fleet due to the crisis and the deterioration of the purchasing power of the population. And also (due to the increase in the average age of life) and the aging of drivers. All these factors together serve as a guarantee that road transport in Russia will not be safe for a long time.
9.4 deaths per 1 million passengers
Among air transport, the greatest danger to human life is not international transportation, but intercity transportation. Especially if a person in a helicopter is forced to go to those lands where even the notorious Makar prefers not to send his calves. Perhaps this is what explains such a high number of casualties among helicopter passengers. For every 1 million people, at least 9.4 are injured. You will have to fall from a great height, and, with a high degree of probability, the injuries will be incompatible with life.
5 deaths per 1.5 billion km
Minibus taxis cannot be called the safest type of transport in Russia. According to statistics, every 1.5 billion km of route traveled by a minibus is paid for by five human lives. Among the reasons can be cited both the work of drivers for wear and tear, as well as design flaws of minibuses, the condition of the roads, unwillingness to comply with traffic rules and drunk driving.
2.84 victims per 1 million transported
In 2018, there were several major accidents involving intercity buses, including a tragic incident in the Voronezh region, when two buses collided, five people died and 17 were injured. In general, according to statistics, intercity and international buses are not safe - for every million passengers transported there are accidents At least 2.84 are injured or killed. In total, in 2018, travel on intercity buses caused the death of more than 600 passengers, and more than 13 thousand people were injured.
2.3 accidents per 1 million passengers
This category includes both international ships and domestic river carriers. In total, in 2018, 62 incidents occurred during sea and river travel, which ended tragically for five people. In general, according to NSS statistics, for every million passengers transported, there are 2.3 accidents.
Passengers on sea and river vessels are threatened not only by the elements of water, but also by fire. One of the common causes of transport accidents is a sudden fire on board a ship, usually caused by faulty electrical wiring. This is not surprising, given that Russia's domestic fleet is in poor condition, with almost a third of the vessels celebrating 40 years of service.
Chance of dying: 1:11,000,000
The safest transport in the world, however, in Russia it is not possible to obtain accurate statistics on the number of accidents per number of passengers. Data from the National Society of Insurers, which we relied on when assessing the danger of other modes of transport, are not available for them. The reason is the peculiarities of the insurance system in Russia; Most air transport companies transport their passengers not only within the country, but also abroad. Therefore, they use international insurance policies.
This is why an airplane is the safest mode of transport: according to statistics, The chances of dying in an accident on board an airplane are 1 in 11 million. For comparison, the chances of being struck by lightning while walking in a thunderstorm are 16 times higher!
0.17 accidents per 1 million passengers
This category includes both intercity and international trains, as well as regular commuter trains. In general, for 2018 the statistics for Russian Railways look excellent - for almost the entire year, from January to November, only seven incidents were recorded. Unfortunately, there were some deaths - one person died. In general, there are no more than 0.17 accidents per 1 million passengers.
More and more people prefer to use one of the safest modes of transport, and this cannot be explained by price alone. Indeed, for some destinations the cost of plane and train tickets is almost equal. According to the Russian Railways website, in 2018, long-distance trains carried almost 8% more passengers than last year. And the increase in the number of passengers on electric trains amounted to almost 3%.
0.09 cases per million transported
The trolleybus is in second place in terms of safety among modes of transport in Russia. According to NSS statistics, for every million passengers transported there are only 0.09 accidents. Most of them are banal “stumbled and fell.”
The reasons for the low trauma rate of a trolleybus are very simple - its volume and weight, as well as its low speed. In a collision, for example, with a passenger car, the car will suffer much worse. And the trolleybus passengers will get away with minor bruises.
0.04 victims out of 1,000,000 people
The safest transport according to statistics for 2018 in terms of the ratio of the number of accidents to the number of passengers. In total, out of one million people arriving from point A to point B, no more than 0.04 people are injured. In addition to safety, the tram has many advantages:
Unfortunately, trams are gradually disappearing from small towns in Russia. The reason is the limited local budget, which simply cannot support a separate line. In just the past twenty years, the number of trams has decreased by more than 35%. Does this mean that the safest form of transport will gradually disappear from the urban landscape?
