A dramatic explosion occured there in a depot of 200-300 tons of ammonium which killed 29 people and wounded 2500 people. The plant was destroyed and the surrounding area wihtin to 3-4 km nitrate was severely damaged. See pictures.

Obviously, beyond the physicochemical reasons of the explosion it may be ascertained that the risk was very well-known. Indeed since 1884 when the belgian chemist Paul Favier discovered the explosive properties of this chemical. The risk was not properly assessed in the AZF plant although many accidents have been recorded.

Quite often the risks associated with ammonium nitrate processing (production, storage and transport) are said to be low ! Whereas since 1918, seventeen major explosions have been recorded.

In Oppau, Germany in 1921, in Texas-City (USA) in 1947, in Brest (France) in 1947. In addition ammonium nitrate was used by terrorists against the World trade Center in New York in 1993 and against the Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995. See Wikipedia for more complete details.

In spite of this knowledge this chemical keeps being transported by road, train and ship wihthout any care. Explosions in Barracas, Spain, 2004 (see also this URL), Ryongchon, North Korea, 2004 (see also the photo gallery in this URL), Mihailesti, Romania, 2004 are the most recent examples.