Investigators confirmed this week that ammonium nitrate was the trigger for the explosion at a West Texas fertilizer plant last month that left 14 dead and over 200 injured according to Reuters.
The cause of the fire and the actual blast at the West Fertilizer facility is still being investigated.
The Texas state fire marshal's office has been running the investigation since the blast occurred on April 17, along with the federal Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agency according to Reuters.
Over 70 investigators have developed 200 leads from at least 400 interviews conducted over the last few weeks. Investigators know the origin of the fire was in the fertilizer and seed building, and they were able to locate the fire's origin within the building that's over 12,000 square feet according to Reuters.
"The investigators have been able to narrow down the origin to the fertilizer and seed building on site, and we also know that what caused the explosion was the ammonium nitrate," said Rachel Moreno, a spokeswoman for the Texas State Fire Marshal's Office according to Reuters. "What we don't know is exactly why."
The fire caused an estimated $100 million in damages to local businesses, schools, and homes near the plant and killed a number of first responders and firefighters who fought hard to put the fire out at the plant.
Investigators have eliminated the following causes for the fire: anhydrous ammonium, the railcar containing ammonium nitrate, weather, natural causes, and a fire within the ammonium nitrate bin.
Ammonium nitrate is a dry fertilizer mixed with other fertilizers such as phosphate and applied to crops to promote growth. It can be combustible under certain conditions, and was used as an ingredient in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 that killed over 168 people.
Even though the investigation into the cause has not been determined, at least seven lawsuits have so far been filed against Adair Grain Inc, which owned the fertilizer facility according to Reuters.
About 70 homes were damaged or destroyed, and federal emergency officials have begun offering shelter to those who need it. Those who lost their homes will be allowed to stay at a hotel or motel at government expense.
All meals, telephone calls and other charges will not be covered according to the Federal Emergency Management Administration.
Related Articles:
Tesla CEO Elon Musk Talks With Google About Driverless Electric Cars (VIDEO)
GM Wins Approval to Build $1.3 Billion Cadillac Plant in China
BMW Recalls 220,000 Vehicles Globally for Faulty Passenger Airbags
Terrafugia Reveals New Flying Car, Four-Seat Hybrid with Vertical Takeoff (PHOTOS / VIDEO)
Woman Eaten by Vultures in 45 Minutes After Falling 900 Feet Off a Cliff in France
See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?
