Location of PEPCON explosion (Henderson, Nevada)

USA / Nevada / Henderson / Henderson, Nevada
 factory, explosion site
The PEPCON explosion occurred here on May 4, 1988.

The PEPCON plant was one of only two American producers of ammonium perchlorate, an oxidizer used in solid fuel rocket boosters, including the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters and military weapons. The fire is reported to have originated in or around a drying process structure in the PEPCON plant between 11:30 and 11:40. Employees' attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful, and they abandoned their effort when the first of a series of explosions occurred in the 200 liter (55 gallon) drums.
The first of two major explosions occurred in the drum storage area. The fire continued to spread and reached the storage area for the filled aluminum shipping containers. This resulted in an even larger, second major explosion, about four minutes later. Very little fuel remained after the second explosion and the flame diminished rapidly except for the flame plume created when the high pressure natural gas line beneath the plant was ruptured in one of the explosions. The gas line was shut off at 12:59 hours by the gas company, at a valve about a mile away, eliminating the fuel for this fire.

www.damninteresting.com/?p=800

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJVOUgCm5Jk
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEPCON_disaster
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   36°2'27"N   115°1'56"W

Comments

  • yea i saw that on max x one time huge explosion
  • I think the position is actually just to the north at that collection of buildings...
  • Kinda creepy how in the videos, there's nothing around for miles (both pre- and post- explosion) and now it's all overdeveloped...
  • The factory destroyed that was next to Pepcon was rebuilt on the same location. It even has the same floorplan. You can find the exact location of the blast using that building as a reference and the railroad tracks which are also still in the same location. Paragon Pacific business park at 103 Corporate Park Dr Henderson, NV 89074 ‎is built on ground zero.
  • I do a lot of mountain biking east of Wetlands Park off Boulder Hwy. I figured it would have been out there somewhere. Had no idea its was west of 95. That area is really developed now.
  • You are right! Compare the picture above with the air pictures in the YouTube videos. The red zone in the picture above is too far north from the original explosion site. The red zone needs to circle the area southeast of the big flat building with the white roof you can sea on the left side. This building you can see also in the videos. You exactly found the nearest possible address that is linked to ground zero. Thank you so so much! And also thanks to the author of this page!
  • I am sorry, I was replying to the post of the user "Henderson". By the way I wonder if it is really safe now to live or work on this contaminated soil?
  • Show all comments
This article was last modified 12 years ago