I was thinking that too. There’s also a hazardous line right where the explosion happened if you look in google maps. It’s labeled in clockwise order from the top: Red 4, Yellow 1, White W with a line through it, and Blue 3. I heard the “W” means it reacts violently to water, whatever it is.
Nice catch on the NFPA Diamond. It's rated as 3 (Health) - 4 (Fire) - 1 (Instability) - W "Use no water"
This is a very odd NFPA code, because instability 2 is automatic when it chemically reacts to water. In order to be "1" it can only have a reaction under high heat. In otherwords combining W and instability 1 means it will react to water, but only when there is high heat.
Thanks for the links! I’ve been searching for any sort of clue, but I haven’t had any luck either. I wonder if it’s an older custom sign and the codes have changed through the years? Maybe you’re right about it being odd and has been updated officially, but they just never updated the sign.
The links aren't a complete list of codes, as there are a lot of custom ones for specific chemicals. But for a pipeline i'd think it was more likely to be a common chemical.
It could also be the "facility" is rated that way. I'm not sure how the signs on a side of a building (vs on the side of a gas tank) works as it might just be a warning to firefighters for the building as a whole.
True. I was just thinking it could also mean that they store that chemical. I jumped to the conclusion of thinking it was a pipe because of the bricks protruding from the wall, but it looks to just be an architectural design choice.
I was thinking that too. There’s also a hazardous line right where the explosion happened if you look in google maps. It’s labeled in clockwise order from the top: Red 4, Yellow 1, White W with a line through it, and Blue 3. I heard the “W” means it reacts violently to water, whatever it is.
Nice catch on the NFPA Diamond. It's rated as 3 (Health) - 4 (Fire) - 1 (Instability) -
W"Use no water" This is a very odd NFPA code, because instability 2 is automatic when it chemically reacts to water. In order to be "1" it can only have a reaction under high heat. In otherwords combiningWand instability 1 means it will react to water, but only when there is high heat.I found no common chemicals that meets a 3-4-1-W code: https://www.northeastern.edu/ehs/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/NFPA-Hazard-Rating-Information-for-Common-Chemicals-A-C.htm https://www.northeastern.edu/ehs/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/NFPA-Hazard-Rating-Information-for-Common-Chemicals-D-I.htm https://www.northeastern.edu/ehs/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/NFPA-Hazard-Rating-Information-for-Common-Chemicals-J-R.htm https://www.northeastern.edu/ehs/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/NFPA-Hazard-Rating-Information-for-Common-Chemicals-S-Z.htm
Might be the aggregate rating for several chemicals stored there.
Thanks for the links! I’ve been searching for any sort of clue, but I haven’t had any luck either. I wonder if it’s an older custom sign and the codes have changed through the years? Maybe you’re right about it being odd and has been updated officially, but they just never updated the sign.
The links aren't a complete list of codes, as there are a lot of custom ones for specific chemicals. But for a pipeline i'd think it was more likely to be a common chemical.
It could also be the "facility" is rated that way. I'm not sure how the signs on a side of a building (vs on the side of a gas tank) works as it might just be a warning to firefighters for the building as a whole.
True. I was just thinking it could also mean that they store that chemical. I jumped to the conclusion of thinking it was a pipe because of the bricks protruding from the wall, but it looks to just be an architectural design choice.
Didn't realize that on the "reacts with water" note thank you. I could not find any chemical with the ratings on the sign either. Very odd...