2M views · Oct 5, 2009 · 9:29 · 1 HN recommender · 3 mentions · discussed 2018–2026
A US Chemical Safety Board video explaining how sugar dust explosions at the Imperial Sugar plant in Georgia killed fourteen workers in 2008.
Why Hacker News points people here: Cited as a vivid example of combustible dust hazards and of the CSB's investigative work.
“Sugar dust is violently explosive.”HN comment, 2020
“the USCSB is one of my favorite federal institutions”
Shows the USCSB's investigative work on dust explosions
Once I learned that sugar dust can literally _detonate_ I stopped being a Libertarian. Also the USCSB is one of my favorite federal institutions: this video
“Lots of highly flammable particles in the air is really a recipe for disaster”
Example of airborne particles as a fire hazard
Fires really scare me. They are one of the things that rapidly can get out of control, have devastating consequences, can happen in everyday conditions (as opposite to eg flying). Lots of highly flammable particles in the air is really a recipe for disaster, see eg this video (sfw) Locked or blocked exit doors is evil, see eg the Station fire, or the fire in Gothenburg disco fire of 1998: link A year back, I was eating breakfast with my 4-yo daughter, and we came up with the question of "what happens if we put hard bread in the toaster?". Don't do it. The fire started quickly, and the flames were surprisingly large (under a cupboard too). Luckily, despite the small fire extinguisher not working at all, I managed to put the fire out without any damage to anything but the toaster. Edit: Station nightclub fire (warning: scary, pretty graphic), link
“Sugar dust is violently explosive.”
Sugar dust explosion at Imperial Sugar
> It really doesn't take much. I always remember the Imperial Sugar Factory. _Dust_ is enough. Sugar dust is violently explosive. this video
