Video footage captured the jaw-dropping moment that an industrial plant exploded in a massive fireball eruption. This horrific plant explosion accident occurred in Sidney, Montana, around 8 PM on Wednesday, according to the New York Post.
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Explosion From Disposal Plant Accident Felt 10 Miles Away
The devastating explosion erupted at a storage and disposal plant, per ABC News. Luckily, it resulted in no deaths or injuries. Still, people 10 miles away could allegedly feel the blast.
Throughout Thursday, the inferno continued to burn, leaving an enormous trail of smoke billowing in the sky. Flames erupted sometime during Wednesday, catching on several of the propane tanks, as the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department reported.
According to Richland County Emergency Manager Brandon Roth, emergency crews had to wait until late Thursday before they could approach the plant. He also mentioned that several storage tanks burned in the burning inferno.
The plant being located in a rural area helped keep the explosion in a contained area. Still, this area has hundreds of oil and gas wells, on top of storage sites.
The fire department detailed on Facebook how they quarantined the area after the blast. “Arriving Fire crews began to identify any life safety concerns of the site and surrounding area, and began to fully quarantine the area for safety,” it read. “Sidney Fire monitored the site through the night, clearing the scene at 7:00am on Thursday morning.”
There was one person who noticed the flames before the explosion happened. Aaron Rigsby, a storm chaser, called for help once he noticed the facility on fire. He also managed to operate a drone to get a closer look.
“All of a sudden, a massive explosion from a propane or oil tank ignited a chain reaction of explosions, sending a shock wave towards town and my vehicle and sent the tank hundreds of feet into the air before crashing back down to earth,” he said in a video.
“The fire burned well into the night and with emergency crews on scene, there was nothing to do but to let it burn itself out and keep the spot fires under control.”
Officials don’t yet know what exactly started the fire. The authorities are now investigating the cause of the devastating fire.