The PEPCON Disaster | A Short Documentary

The PEPCON Disaster | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror

Рет қаралды 630,016

Күн бұрын

"On the 4th of May, 1988, a controller at the Pacific Engineering and Production Company of Nevada (or PEPCON) chemical plant placed a call to local emergency services..."
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:44 - Background
02:11 - The PEPCON Disaster
07:29 - The Aftermath
MUSIC:
► "Glass Pond" by Public Memory
SOURCES:
► "30 years ago, massive PEPCON explosion rocked Las Vegas Valley" by Lacanlale, published the Las Vegas Review-Journal, May 2018. Link: www.reviewjournal.com/local/l...
► "Former Henderson fire captain recalls day of PEPCON explosions" by Lacanlale, published the Las Vegas Review-Journal, May 2018. Link: www.reviewjournal.com/local/h...
► "Victim of Cedar explosion knew risks" by Mark L Reece, published by Deseret News, August 1997. Link: www.deseret.com/1997/8/2/1932...
► "One killed, three injured in southern Utah plant explosion" published by the Las Vegas Sun, July 1997. Link: lasvegassun.com/news/1997/jul...
► "Analysis of the Accidental Explosion at Pepcon, Henderson, Nevada, May 4, 1988" by Jack W Reed, published by the United States Department of Energy, November 1988. Available via: www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/66...
► "The PEPCON Disaster - Causative Factors and Potential Preventive and Mitigative Measures" by HE Lambert and NJ Alvares, published by the United States Department of Energy, July 2003. Available via: ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/dashboard/...
#Documentary #History #TrueStories

Пікірлер: 1 300

@Cec9e13 Жыл бұрын

I feel like "There has been an explosion, and now everything is on fire," in your very calm and measured voice, needs to be an audio clip that I can use as a response to questions such as, "So how is your day going?"

@twistoffate4791 Жыл бұрын

Lol!! I SO appreciate your sense if humor & share it.

@Mrsjam96 Жыл бұрын

That would be GREAT!

@screwyourhandle Жыл бұрын

I would pay actual dollars for that

@Cec9e13 Жыл бұрын

@fascinating horror Look, a merch opportunity.

@twistoffate4791 Жыл бұрын

@@Cec9e13 Absolutely there is, lol. A bloody fun one, too.

@BrianMillsMFA Жыл бұрын

I was a child in elementary school in East Las Vegas on that day about 8 miles away. We literally heard the sound and felt the explosion in the classroom. Being 1988, we of course thought this was a nuclear missile strike and we were gonna die. Fun times.

@MadJustin7 Жыл бұрын

I wasn't born yet but I got to do the shelter in place drills in school during the 90's because of this. Lots of fun.

@LegioXIII-SPQR Жыл бұрын

I was an 80s kid too. I was going to say that kids these days wouldn't understand what that's like and then this happens earlier today: MOSCOW, Feb 21 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia was suspending its participation in the New START treaty with the United States that limits the two sides' strategic nuclear arsenals. Putin stressed that Russia was not withdrawing from the treaty but the suspension further imperils the last remaining pillar of arms control between the United States and Russia, which between them hold nearly 90% of the world's nuclear warheads - enough to destroy the planet many times over.

@bluepotato1354 Жыл бұрын

Honestly I feel like that wouldn't be an unreasonable assumption at the time Glad you're ok!

@Lucifer-qt9gh Жыл бұрын

He also test fired a satan 2 while biden was in kiev...it fucking failed, russia is a failure its in its blood to fuck shit up for itself over and over again.

@BrenMurphy1 Жыл бұрын

8 mile

@GloryInWonderland Жыл бұрын

I requested this one! I am so happy to see that you did this. My mom still remembers the sound and how her whole house shook and she was on the other side of town!

@princesssolace4337 Жыл бұрын

Saw the footage if the explosion and it was tremendous. I've only experienced a sonic boom and fireworks factory explosion

@truthylucy7068 Жыл бұрын

I too remember this. I was living in a high-rise apt complex at the time. My balcony faced south east & I was on the balconey when this explosion happened! Not being far from the airport, I immediately thought it was a plane crash. It was a powerful blast! Definitely something those that experienced will never forget!

@dennismitchell5414 Жыл бұрын

Excellent request !

@michaelpipkin9942 Жыл бұрын

@@truthylucy7068 Where were you at? Maryland Parkway and Flamingo I'm guessing? Or around there.

@truthylucy7068 Жыл бұрын

@@michaelpipkin9942 Yes, you're right! It was called Vegas Towers back then, I lived there with my aunt for a few months. That area Maryland, Flamingo & Twain became a bit sketchy over the years. I've lived in the NW for the last 30 years, far away from any more blasts! Lol

@ianmacfarlane1241 Жыл бұрын

Horrifying to think that people were literally running for their lives, while those with limited mobility were stuck...waiting for the inevitable. Unimaginably awful.

@drkarats6147 Жыл бұрын

and noone helped them, just left em

@nozoto Жыл бұрын

@@drkarats6147 They were the senior managers. They have dedicated most of their life to make the company grow, hence their high position. What do you know? Maybe some guys volunteered to help and they told them to f*** off, out of pride and spite to lose the product of their work. They were like captains on the boat, not lambda employees.

@AngryGodzillaBirds1 Жыл бұрын

@Garlic Goblin Ziusudra there's really no need to make up fanfiction justifying abandoning two disabled people to their deaths

@ImperialCaleb Жыл бұрын

@@nozoto Does pulling random shit out of thin air to justify two disabled people being unable to escape a disaster make you feel better or something?

@Lybarger12b Жыл бұрын

You guys are missing the fact that 1 of them stayed behind in order to alert the authorities that's pretty freaking heroic in my book

@ksteak27 Жыл бұрын

The one person who warned the fire chief is an absolute hero and didn't even know it.

@Polymathically Жыл бұрын

After all these years, the video of that explosion is still one of the most incredible things I've seen on KZfaq.

@SuperNova-py1ec Жыл бұрын

You are right. The scale and speed of the explosion is mind boggling

@KCzz15 Жыл бұрын

I think for me it was more recently topped by the Beirut port explosion, simply because of its proximity to... basically everything instead of being in a desert.

@TimPerfetto Жыл бұрын

Agreed. One of the videos I watch every so often whenever it pops into my mind

@bodybag22 Жыл бұрын

I'll also add the 2015 Tianjin industrial explosions to this growing list of terrifyingly impressive events.

@johntaylorson7769 Жыл бұрын

@@bodybag22 Aye, for the roster of terrifying explosions it would be Pepcon, Tianjin and Beirut... and I'd add to that the Pathe footage of HMS Barham.

@yesipan Жыл бұрын

Jesus, hearing about the two men that died is heartbreaking. It's horrifying to think that they passed in such a horrific way because of their physical disabilities.

@billwhitteaker2722 Жыл бұрын

What saddens me most is that it did not appear anyone tried to help them (though I could be in error). Obviously it was known they had limited mobility.

@JayzTwoCentzIG Жыл бұрын

@EclipseStrife same 💀

@ytr3488 Жыл бұрын

LOL

@Radarriderr Жыл бұрын

Natural selection has entered the chat

@PaKalsha Жыл бұрын

Absolutley horrifying way to go, but they didn't die because of their disabilities - they died because their workplace didn't consider their needs in its safety plan. Nowadays, in the UK at least, we have to have evacuation plans for every disabled (and temporarily disabled) employee. Escapre routes, safe stopping points where they can communicate with emergency services, 'walking chairs' for going down stairs when the lifts are out, and volunteer staff members who will help them get out or stay with them until help arrives. Those men died needlessly and horrifically, but - hopefully - their deaths will have underlined the importance of accessable workplaces and evacuation procesures that take *every* employee into account.

@Scrapyard24c Жыл бұрын

PEPCON would be later used as the basis for a fictional company in Fallout New Vegas called REPCONN (Rocket Engineering and Production COmpaNy of Nevada). To further the connection between the two, REPCONN headquarters is also located in the game's fictional depiction of Henderson, Nevada.

@maccaronich Жыл бұрын

I did wonder this actually

@timeladyshayde Жыл бұрын

New Vegas is how I first heard about the Pepcon disaster. It’s mentioned on some of the Fallout wiki sites.

@McDicker96 Жыл бұрын

Ghouls in Spaaaaaaaaace!!!!

@DavidDeFrain Жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same!

@boozypixels Жыл бұрын

@@McDicker96 Shhh that's supposed to be a secret, smoothskin!

@TheRealChristopherB Жыл бұрын

Man, the footage of the PEPCON explosions are so surreal to witness. Just the massive size and impact of them; the way that camera rattles in spite of being on a hilltop miles away from the actual plant. Absolutely nuts.

@abandoned-mines-novascotia Жыл бұрын

It's incredible he pulled off this whole video and never once used the infamous video footage. Just the whole story, and all the facts - kept us hooked. No boom-porn required.

@1TakoyakiStore Жыл бұрын

I remember learning about this disaster in 1999 and, up until the Beirut explosion, I had never seen shock waves like that before.

@belphy205 Жыл бұрын

Its very hard to get footage of an explosion. Mostly because when the explosion happens it usually destroys everything around it. And people are usually smart enough to run away.

@FluffyFerretFarm Жыл бұрын

The Lebanon explosion was a fraction of this one by comparison in kilotons

@tek1645 Жыл бұрын

@@FluffyFerretFarm but the Beirut explosion was in the city

@scrappydoo7887 Жыл бұрын

They really are quite amazing

@antoy384 Жыл бұрын

@@FluffyFerretFarm The same author said Beirut = 1kt of equivalent TNT, whereas this one at 3:40 says 0.25 ktTNT. Was Beirut larger or smaller?

@MusicoftheDamned Жыл бұрын

As someone who had only very vaguely heard of the PEPCON accident (I think), I am legitimately surprised that "only" two people died despite the sheer number of lackluster safety practices, and even they _might_ have survived if the place had just been more wheelchair accessible. Sigh. Just another instance where safety measures only get put in place *after* at least one person dies (if they get put in place *and* actually followed at all).

@iHATEbigots666 Жыл бұрын

wheelchair accessibility is extremely important

@noeyes6151 Жыл бұрын

Well that ruined that, 2 deaths? I'll save ten mins

@allangibson8494 Жыл бұрын

And the guys who died were exactly the guys who would have had to sign off on wheelchair access installation…

@dawnstorm9768 Жыл бұрын

@@iHATEbigots666 For whatever it's worth, the Americans with Disabilities Act did not go into effect until the early 90s.

@sophritoh Жыл бұрын

It wasn’t that the place wasn’t wheelchair accessible… it was that he didn’t have a car to leave in… idk why no one gave him a ride… “some employees left in their personal cars while others ran” - don’t u think some of the ones with cars should’ve made sure to take their 2 disabled coworkers who can’t run?

@adaynknyte Жыл бұрын

I'm glad you did this one thanks! My mom was pregnant with my twin sister and I when the explosion happened. She was due July 4th but when the shockwave knocked her onto her back she had to go to the hospital. She had complications but soon had us early on June 20th 1988. She said she remembers seeing garage doors being blown off, windows shattering, and an eerie silence. If anyone is interested there are videos of the explosion on top of Black Mountain anyone can see on KZfaq.

@St.Linguini_of_Pesto Жыл бұрын

@A See hey, your birthday is about 4 months from now, happy birthday (kinda early, I know, but got you somethin') 🎁

@adaynknyte Жыл бұрын

@@St.Linguini_of_Pesto lol thanks so much!!

@AnAdorableWombat1 Жыл бұрын

Awwww glad she and you both were ok.

@copperlocke Жыл бұрын

I am in a wheelchair, and hearing that the only two casualties were disabled people makes my heart sink. That plant had hundreds of employees, and not one thought to assist - and THIS is why 'just get someone to do it for you' is not an acceptable accommodation and anyone who gets this needs to scream loud and not stop screaming until it is fixed. Accessibility and awareness is no better now in industry than it was 40 years ago, I am just glad that now I don't have to be sacrificed because I no longer need to be physically present in a dangerous location, with remote work options. They rightfully focused on preventing another explosion. They completely botched understanding why those two men died and actually doing something about evacuating the disabled-but-working.

@ripvanwinkle2002 Жыл бұрын

i just posted. that i was shocked and ashamed that they left wheel chair guy and polio guy behind.. id have died trying to get one of them out before i could leave them behind and live with myself..

@eviltaylor1 Жыл бұрын

@@ripvanwinkle2002 They did try but he asked them to leave him and save themselves, man is a true hero. Remember him for that.

@ripvanwinkle2002 Жыл бұрын

@@eviltaylor1 it wasnt mentioned even once anyone tried all he said was polio guy, knowing hed be slow volunteered to stay behind.. if people "tried" theyd have said "Nah i got you bro" and helped him out..

@StoneInMySandal Жыл бұрын

If you look at the history of disasters, it’s usually the management and accountants who escape and leave the workers behind. That has been the case as at least as long as the Great Fire of Rome. Thousands of years of scurrying away while everybody else dies has consequences.

@fart63 Жыл бұрын

I remember accompanying my sister to the hospital, and we were unable to get her wheelchair up to the building for 15 minutes as we couldn’t find any wheelchair ramps and we had to park at the very back of the lot as every handicap parking spot was taken. Then we went to dennys across the street and they had multiple wheelchair ramps all next to the handicap parking spots. Love that

@jacksonthornton4073 Жыл бұрын

The marshmallow factory is less known but still a crazy part of the story. The heat and force of the explosion set off the marshmallows to heat up and expand, burning a few employees so bad they died. My dad said he was in middle school on the other side of town and he thought there was nuclear bomb testing when they felt the shock.

@Nitramrec Жыл бұрын

I think this is only an urban legend, cause only 2 fatalities are reported in this context.

@JasonEddington 8 ай бұрын

I remember eating lunch in middle school in Henderson when this happened. We all ran outside when the 3rd explosion happened, I felt the concussion and the hot air hit me, and seen a bird fell out of the sky. We all thought we were at war.

@VictoriaLampini Жыл бұрын

Can you do a video about the sinking of the Oceanos? The fact that the captain and crew abandoned the passengers and the entertainers stepped in to save them is like something out of a movie.

@princessmarlena1359 Жыл бұрын

I remember that, very compelling story.

@Ozymandias1 Жыл бұрын

There are already several videos about the sinking on KZfaq.

@Fuchswinter Жыл бұрын

It's incredible how nobody died in that wreck, considering how incompetent and callous the crew was. Especially comparing it to other disasters where the crew did do their job and it still wasn't enough. There's also a banger song about the ship :D

@kulsoomahsan4440 Жыл бұрын

Moss Hill. He did what the captain didn't do. He stayed on until every last person was safely rescued. Then he left the ship. Badass.

@kalenamyers3235 Жыл бұрын

@@kulsoomahsan4440 And then 3 years later he organized a rescue operation while being an entertainer on the Achille Lauro when it caught fire and had to be evacuated!

@nozoto Жыл бұрын

Thanks to the presence of mind of that fleeing employee, many firefighter lives were saved. It may not seem like it, but the talk he had with the fire-chief had heroic repercussions.

@marhawkman303 Жыл бұрын

fore-warned is fore-armed. and stuff, but it's true. When you know what's going to happen, you can act to mitigate it.

@technick6418 Жыл бұрын

This incident is-in my opinion, fortunately-still being discussed as a case study today. I learned about it during my firefighter training a few years ago, and it served as good educational material for both new and veteran first responders. Perspective: Consider the original video footage. Then take a moment to remember those who were lost to other similar events in history which were not caught on camera. Three which immediately come to mind were the Texas City disaster, Halifax explosion, and the USS Mount Hood explosion. Now you have an idea of just how violent these huge chemical explosions can be. It takes a LOT of explosive force to send a visible shockwave across the desert floor as if it were water. Speaking of the Halifax explosion, I'd like to think that both Roy Westerfield and Vincent Coleman are up there somewhere enjoying peace and a cold drink together. Well-done, gentlemen. You both deserve to be remembered for your selfless actions in the face of impending death.

@thesisypheanjournal1271 Жыл бұрын

I had actually watched a documentary about this and hadn’t known that the reason the two workers were killed was because of their mobility issues and the lack of their opportunities to get out without assistance. Absolutely horrible.

@davidci Жыл бұрын

The explosion video just sent a wave of nostalgia through me. I remember watching this in the show Destroyed In Seconds and noticing the white specks going across the ground, then the realization that those little specks were actually cars. Not to mention some of them were still passing by when the explosion happened.

@BRAVOACTUAL Жыл бұрын

That show was amazing.

@christycullen2355 Жыл бұрын

This is where I remember it from as well. The two guys on the mountain captured the whole thing, crazy stuff

@jamesblake44 Жыл бұрын

I was trying to think if the name! Thank you

@_stxrblazerr Жыл бұрын

I can't take u seriously wit that pfp 💀💀

@DetroitDiesel671 Жыл бұрын

By the time that show aired, I had already seen the raw video elsewhere... I was disappointed that they had synchronized the explosion and audio, and wiped out the people talking. It really lessens the impact of the video, it's so much better to see the explosion happen, and the shock wave coming, and hear the guy say, "that's gonna be loud!", and THEN hear the deafening sound.

@LilAnnThrax Жыл бұрын

Still my fave 3:00am notification when I can't sleep. Thank you for always making amazing content for us!

@officersquarehead Жыл бұрын

5am here!

@grantwells4491 Жыл бұрын

2:16 here! 😅

@madisonoeffinger8381 Жыл бұрын

2am here!

@jessicad83 Жыл бұрын

2045 here!

@charisselinnell-morton4137 Жыл бұрын

4 am in Canada 🇨🇦 😊

@sarahewson3607 Жыл бұрын

This really breaks my heart. I also have major mobility limitations and I often think about how I would most certainly perish in an emergency (especially with all the shootings here in the USA). The one gentleman that willingly stayed behind to call the fire department is a true angel. 😔

@kulsoomahsan4440 Жыл бұрын

I hope you never find yourself in such a situation and if you do find yourself in any danger that people will be good enough to help you. Cheers.

@sarahewson3607 Жыл бұрын

@@kulsoomahsan4440 thank you so much, that's very kind of you☺

@pogosmama1 Жыл бұрын

I teach fire science and a lot about hazmat. These videos with good explanation are invaluable. One of the jobs of a firefighter is to tour and know your jurisdiction and what is stored in that area. That is of great value, and combined with teaching about accidents is very important.

@FaerieMagick17 Жыл бұрын

Always appreciate how you tell these accidents (many of which I haven't heard about before) and the amount of research that must go into your videos. Thank you!

@yippee8570 Жыл бұрын

Hear, hear! Always top notch

@alfredpeasant5980 Жыл бұрын

It is good, but he takes the official account and adds literary flair for the most part.

@skunkweeduk Жыл бұрын

People haven't heard of this because the government chose not to release the story to the news channels..

@warailawildrunner5300 Жыл бұрын

This is the original footage of the blasts - it's pretty scary to be honest and while 2 men died, it's amazing there weren't additional deaths. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/na2Dq5hlqNG7o4U.html

@Drefsab Жыл бұрын

I live very close to where the PEPCON explosion happened, just a few blocks away. It's all just suburban sprawl now. I think the exact location of the old plant is a strip mall with a mechanic's garage now. There's no plaque or memorial or anything. My grandpa was working construction several miles away when it happened. He said you could see the shockwave coming, and it felt like he'd been punched in the chest even from that distance. Just a crazy amount of force behind that blast.

@nikkitronic80 Жыл бұрын

How about the fact that the broadcast engineer, the guy who got the footage of this explosion, just happened to be up on that hillside a few miles away that day with a video camera. That is truly amazing to me. Without the footage, it would be hard to grasp just how damn large those explanations were. It’s still hard to grasp. I believe they were the largest explosions on US soil during peacetime in recoded history.

@Smedley1947 11 күн бұрын

I'm rather fond of large explanations.

@Fygee Жыл бұрын

Was hoping to see this one eventually! I was six when it went kerplooey. I slept through it as my sister was being born and had the day off of school, but she was born in the hospital closest to it. They had to evacuate the entire hospital and my mom and newborn sister came home with bandages from cuts due to broken glass. Lots of stories from classmates the next day about windows being blown out and furniture being knocked down. A family friend quit working at Pepcon six weeks before the disaster and apparently employees were very irresponsible with handling the materials there.

@Smedley1947 11 күн бұрын

Not surprised about the LAX handling of things : people get very complacent working with dangerous stuff because nothing ever happens for a long time••••• until it does.

@kyleashdown518 Жыл бұрын

And to think some dude who brought his camcorder with him on his lunch break ended up shooting some of the greatest explosion footage of all time…

@Assassins-creed Жыл бұрын

Would you do a video on the recent train derailment and chemical spill in Ohio when more information comes to light?

@KB8Killa Жыл бұрын

Something fishy is going on with that one

@dustinsindledecker154 Жыл бұрын

Maybe he will do a video about that 20 years from now.

@KathrynsWorldWildfireTracking Жыл бұрын

The Disaster on Duffy Street - is an old one that's even worse. Nightmare fuel...

@roadweary5252 Жыл бұрын

One of the more underrated channels on YT. Another great upload!

@princeofcupspoc9073 Жыл бұрын

He has a MILLION subscribers.

@roadweary5252 Жыл бұрын

@@princeofcupspoc9073 and he should have more

@jacekatalakis8316 Жыл бұрын

The famous video of the blast taken from the mountain is still one that absolutely, absolutely amazing and terrifying. Any time you can literally see the blast wave...

@erictroxell715 Жыл бұрын

I remember watching this on TV. So sad that 2 died unnecessarily.

@AEMoreira81 Жыл бұрын

It’s a minor miracle that there were only two deaths though.

@marhawkman303 Жыл бұрын

Reading it.... I suspect at least one of them chose to stay behind as the rest fled so he could call authorities.

@kathypool3990 Жыл бұрын

I live in Henderson and remember this very well. It was very very scary. After the first blast I got down on my hands and knees to go close all the curtains for I thought the windows may break and didn’t know what the heck was going on, then the big blast went off. It sure rattled my house but the windows stayed intact.

@redfailhawk Жыл бұрын

I have to admire that in something this horrific, with a ten mile destruction radius, just TWO people died, and both knew that their chances of survival were lowered and still chose to stay to try to help. It's rare that you hear about something like this where the only casualties were management, it seems. Kudos and Bravo to both Bruce and Roy.

@CarlB_1962 Жыл бұрын

I really appreciate how you stick to the facts of the incidents you cover, avoiding irrelevant opinion and sensationalist descriptions.

@Smedley1947 11 күн бұрын

It's a very British thing to be very matter of fact.

@CarlB_1962 11 күн бұрын

@@Smedley1947 👌

@classicmicroscopy9398 Жыл бұрын

If you think you had a bad day at work at least it probably didn't involve telling your boss "I blew up the work place today".

@grmpEqweer Жыл бұрын

...Yet.

@hybridAbsol Жыл бұрын

Lmao

@nuke2k Жыл бұрын

And everything else in a 10 mile radius ^^

@hybridAbsol Жыл бұрын

Dont forget the boss's shiny Cadillac now burnt to a crisp

@scrappydoo7887 Жыл бұрын

Given the boss died .....

@vulger11 Жыл бұрын

I have a feeling you'll be doing a video 5-10 years from now about a certain train derailment in Ohio.

@alienvomitsex Жыл бұрын

Thanks GOP for the deregulation!

@jameshayden3952 10 ай бұрын

Liberal doish.

@derrickguffey4775 4 ай бұрын

The East Palestine derailment has already been done actually

@sixstringedthing Жыл бұрын

That feeling when you're absolutely sure Fascinating Horror has already covered a particular disaster, and then...

@YuBeace Жыл бұрын

The fact the two people that were caught in the blast were people with mobility problems really shakes me, because I use mobility aids too.

@FutureJouster Жыл бұрын

Its scary, apparently at some places (I think I was schools or universities being discussed?) the 'plan' is leave behind the disabled if they can't keep up or get out without needing help that would slow others down... they just have to wait for rescue

@KabbalahSherry Жыл бұрын

For real, that part of the story really stood out to me. Were there really no colleagues around to help the one man in the wheelchair escape?! And how brave/sad that the other man volunteered to stay behind to talk to emergency services. He gave everything else a fighting chance. But the least the company could have done was make sure there was an adequate evacuation plan in place. 😒 Infuriating.

@ripvanwinkle2002 Жыл бұрын

i dont and it made me sick in my stomach that there was no report of anyone trying to help these two men.. i couldnt live with myself knowing i let a guy in a wheelchair die so i could live,.

@djnoneofyourbusiness525 Жыл бұрын

@@FutureJouster When I worked in group and nursing homes, residents who are bed bound or not mobile were supposed to be left behind. During a tornado, for example, we were instructed to surround them with blankets and pillows and shut their door. During a fire, if you can’t drag them out or if you run a high risk of not making it out, you leave them behind and wait for rescue. It’s disturbing to think you very possibly must leave people to die.

@asafaust8869 7 ай бұрын

There should have been fire drills so everyone would know where the nearest exits were located and noone would be left behind. A buddy system to insure disabled people had assistance would have been appropriate. The workers nearby, who could have helped should feel bad for not doing so. 😢

@blairdoesntnotcare3323 Жыл бұрын

you make learning about tragedy manageable. I haven't watch this video yet but your videos always make me JUMP to them. I remember when you had FAR less subscribers and TBH you deserve another million my fascinating friend. You bring such a human element to these videos that raw detail lacks. Thank you for your contributions to the teaching of tragedy.

@legendarygary2744 Жыл бұрын

I’d seen this explosion on tv programs as a kid, but never heard the larger story surrounding the event, and it was really nice to get the context behind this insane event!

@sambradley9091 Жыл бұрын

as someone who requested this, thank you. my parents remember this, it's wild

@emordnilap4747 Жыл бұрын

Ooh, so that's what happened! I've seen the footage taken from that hill, (where the still in this video is from) a few times. It was on Destroyed in Seconds, they gave a much briefer description of the disaster, and mentioned there were two fatalities. For anyone interested, who hasn't already seen it, the video is available here on on KZfaq. It's as intense as it sounds.

@SusanSnapDragon Жыл бұрын

In my workplace, we’ve had the fire alarm go off a few times for minor things. After the first one time, we started hounding management about wheelchair accessibility and making sure employees and customers who are in wheelchairs or with limited mobility have a means of evacuating the building should we ever have a truly dangerous incident occur. They have added special chairs to the stairways so we can help people get down the stairs in them. It’s not a perfect solution, as many disabled individuals need their chairs, but we hope to avoid any tragedies regarding the disabled.

@MadameAshlini Жыл бұрын

Thank you for covering this disaster!! My grandfather was a police officer in Henderson at the time and had just gotten off of a graveyard shift the night before, got home and laid down on the couch to sleep was awoken by this and was immediately called back out to help!

@GrumpyIan Жыл бұрын

Man this was perfect timing with all the stuff that has happened in Ohio recently.

@lifewuzonceezr Жыл бұрын

Yay!! IAM not alone in connecting FH and Ohio!!

@St.Linguini_of_Pesto Жыл бұрын

Don't overlook the Detroit derailment just 2 or 4 days after Ohio.

@VanessaAnn93 Жыл бұрын

Ah yes, my favourite nice voiced spooky boi with another meticulously edited and interesting video. Thank you for your efforts

@chocolateapocalypse Жыл бұрын

As a freshman in high school I was in math class when the large explosion happened. It was about 30-40 miles from Pepcon and considering we weren't far from Nellis AFB most everyone thought it was a big sonic boom. The way the building and ground shook I wasn't so sure having grown up on Air Force bases but didn't know what actually happened til I got home. Considering the size of the explosion it's amazing more weren't killed.

@dannyfrog Жыл бұрын

I was 8 years old and in the 3rd grade when this happened. My school was about 5 miles away from it, the way the crow flies. I still remember every single thing about it. Especially the big one that flattened KIDD Marshmallow plant and the desert floor around it. My Dad was Master Electrician at Hoover Dam that week and was at Lake Mead coming in from fishing. He remembers the big mushroom cloud shoot up over the mountains from the main explosion.

@solidsnek1776 Жыл бұрын

Holy shit, I remember this when I was a kid. I lived in green valley and every window, glass door, and car windshield and window in my apartment complex was shattered from the explosion. I lived there for years after and every time we moved furniture we found broken glass.

@killbot1974 Жыл бұрын

And now the whole site where it happened is covered in McHouses and apartments.

@aidanfarnan4683 Жыл бұрын

It's very sad that there was no evacuation plan in place for the two workers with limmited mobility.

@Baffled_King Жыл бұрын

"Should we maybe not put these massive explosive barrels on top of a natural gas line?" "Nah, I'm sure it'll be fine." 🙄

@dawnstorm9768 Жыл бұрын

What could POSSIBLY happen?🫣

@hopsiepike Жыл бұрын

How much could one explosion cost, Michael? Ten dollars?

@Smedley1947 11 күн бұрын

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO ⚠️WORNG⚠️

@lohphat Жыл бұрын

3:55 The shot of a Clark Country Fire Department vehicle is from Clark County, Kentucky (which contains the town of Winchester) - not Clark County, Nevada.

@darrenambler9431 Жыл бұрын

Would love to see a video on the 2020 Beirut port explosion!

@michellegable3191 Жыл бұрын

I just love everything about this channel. The narration, the music and the actual story are always spot on.

@twistoffate4791 Жыл бұрын

Our narrator's voice has returned to normal. Glad whatever ailed you has passed. Thanks for all you do.

@landlocked_lifts332 Жыл бұрын

I remember seeing this explosion on "Destroyed in Seconds" back in the day - core memory unlocked

@bina702 Жыл бұрын

I remember this event well. Those of us who were alive at the time, still talk about it regularly.

@michaelpipkin9942 Жыл бұрын

I was in first grade at a Jones and Desert Inn. The whole room shook everywhere at once.

@bigsarge8795 Жыл бұрын

I used to live in Las Vegas, and this was covered extensively on the anniversary of the explosion. The videos are unreal.

@arturomartinez3868 Жыл бұрын

Do one for Mexico City's "San Juanico" gas explosion. An event so horrific the real number of deaths has yet not been revealed.

@jenniferharris7704 Жыл бұрын

I was in third grade when this happened and attended Laura Dearing ES, which wasn’t very close to the site of the blast but we heard it across town and my school evacuated just sending kids to walk home on their own. There was no emergency plan in place in the 80s. We just winged it . 🤪😅

@killbot1974 Жыл бұрын

I was at Mable Hogard sixth grade center when it happened. They just kept us in class.

@steven_baconbits Жыл бұрын

I was a kid standing in our driveway in northwest las vegas, which was the edge of vegas at the time. I'll never forget the sound and the feeling, even from that far away. I stood there frozen staring at the rising cloud until my grandma dragged me inside. Never heard a word she said.

@brenlane9847 Жыл бұрын

I work for a workman's compensation insurance company and so many of your videos validate safety awareness. My heart breaks for the handicapped victims and their inability to escape danger. Sadly tragedies such as these serve as a source for positive change for employees in high risk situations.

@dawnstorm9768 Жыл бұрын

Those poor people!

@ralphcantrell3214 Жыл бұрын

I happen to know a bit about this one and have worked in similar facilities in another state. That chemical was a volatile it explode if stepped on. Furthermore, it has a dust-like quality and would become airborne, coating the floor and every other surface where it was being used. We were forced to wear sponges on the bottom of our shoes, and no more than two people could enter the building at a time. Anyone else on the site would have to enter an underground bunker any time someone had to be inside the facility. It was some scary stuff. By the way… the explosions were actually filmed from atop a nearby mountain. I’m sure it would be easy enough to find this footage online if anyone really wants to see it.

@jic1 Жыл бұрын

7:35 Up to this point I'd never heard of the United States Fire Administration, but I love the fact that its logo is a bald eagle stamping out a fire.

@dawnstorm9768 Жыл бұрын

Neither had I!

@sean4699 Жыл бұрын

You're gonna have a field day with the Ohio Derailment. Scary stuff.

@alienvomitsex Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the continued deregulation, GOP 👍🏻

@sorrel7554 Жыл бұрын

This one really sticks out as an example of the value of communication and safety training. It's easy to binge all these videos and get caught in a mindset of "oh god i'm gonna die in a horrible accidnet and there's nothing i can do about it" but this shows that safety training works! Things like the employee warning the fire chief and the prompt evacuations show that we can do a lot to make even the most horrific situations imaginable much more survivable. So, I'll still die in a horrible accident because I'm disabled, but most of the rest of y'all will make it!

@absinthealice Жыл бұрын

I was 20 at the time, lived in Spring Valley. My grandparents lived in Henderson, about 4 miles from Pepcon. When the explosion happened, my grandmother said her entire house shook so hard she thought it was going to fall apart. The blast spread across the valley and quite literally THREW me out of my bed. Grandparents home wasn't damaged, I wasn't hurt, but that was certainly a day I'll NEVER forget. I also remember the MGM Grand fire in 1980. I was in 7th grade when a teacher wheeled in a television so we could all watch the spectacle while it happened. Was another day fully ingrained in memory. That's been covered by this channel as well. I love Fascinating Horror for so many reasons!

@walter9724 Жыл бұрын

Never heard of the shockwave hitting the plane before. That alone is bloody epic. Imagine being on the plane and seeing the mushroom cloud...

@elanthys Жыл бұрын

Tiny nitpick, Challenger did not explode, it broke up due to extreme dynamic pressure put upon the craft by the SRB pivoting after losing one of its attach points. Both SRBs did explode afterwards though, but intentionally, by command from the RSO.

@belphy205 Жыл бұрын

Didn't it leak fuel as well because a certain part didn't expand due to it being so cold?

@jimurrata6785 Жыл бұрын

@@belphy205One booster leaked combustion flames through an O-ring seal onto its rear attachment strut. The cold rubber seal was stiff and incompliant when pressure built between the booster segments.

@belphy205 Жыл бұрын

@jimurrata6785 that was it thank you! It's been a while since I saw a documentary on it.

@jimurrata6785 Жыл бұрын

The shuttle itself did not explode. It was strapped to a huge external tank stack that did. Those hydrogen and oxygen tanks exploded when one SRB pivoted on its front strut. Both SRB's were still flying when their self destruct charges zippered them.

@TheUncleRuckus Жыл бұрын

I remember watching the Challenger explosion while at school. Our whole school had a space themed week leading up to the launch with day of culminating in an Ice Cream social before the live broadcast to every classroom. I just remember sitting there eating my ice cream and watching the shuttle takeoff with everyone being so excited to boom the shuttle exploded and everyone is freaking out. It was so bad that they had to bring in grief counselors to the school the next day, they ending up holding an Assembly where the school attended to help us process what we saw. Needless to say that was the first and last time we ever watched live events at school lol. Almost 40 years later and I can still remember it like yesterday.

@dawnstorm9768 Жыл бұрын

You and me both.

@spunkyb5249 Жыл бұрын

I remember this. I was a kid in Vegas at the time, and the shockwave from the explosion destroyed our metal carport and put cracks throughout our house.

@dottiegillespie8067 Жыл бұрын

Thank you sir! Always a pleasure to have coffee in the morning and wake up watching my favorite channel!! I appreciate your hard work!

@6yjjk Жыл бұрын

Well, if you're going to have a massive fire, a whole factory full of marshmallows is a bonus.

@emordnilap4747 Жыл бұрын

I was just thinking it's a shame they were all incinerated.

@hopsiepike Жыл бұрын

@@emordnilap4747 some people prefer them burnt.

@hopsiepike Жыл бұрын

If only there was a hot cocoa factory down the road.

@raydunakin Жыл бұрын

I had just gotten into the hobby of high power rocketry a few months prior to this. The rocket motors we used were similar to the Space Shuttle's solid fuel boosters, and were also made with ammonium perchlorate. There was a shortage of AP that affected the hobby market for a while after this disaster. In 2001 there was a factory fire at the company that was the biggest manufacturer of hobby rocket motors, which killed one worker and resulted in a much worse shortage of motors.

@mikezerker6925 Жыл бұрын

Watching the footage of the PEPCON explosions is heart stopping! Thank goodness more people didn’t lose their lives!

@MrKyledane Жыл бұрын

I think I've mentioned this elsewhere, but as you're expanding your topics, I would highly recommend you cover the Sewol Ferry Disaster in South Korea. I hope you're looking at that one for a future video. One of the most impactful stories in that country's modern history.

@Enzo187 Жыл бұрын

The fact that a descending airliner could feel the shockwave is INSANE

@kennethjosephson134 Жыл бұрын

I was at a friend’s house near Pecos Road and Lake Mead Boulevard, helping him move some I-beams. The shock wave from the explosion nearly knocked us over. We were miles away from the explosion, but could see the smoke.

@RICDirector Жыл бұрын

I am seriously surprised that the UCSB does not have a video on this disaster. Some good longer documentaries out there though as well.

@ripvanwinkle2002 Жыл бұрын

i honestly cant believe people left wheel chair guy and polio guy behind without just grabbing them up on someones back and running for it.. id not like to work with any of those people.. i think id have died trying to push the wheel chair at a sprint before i could live with myself, knowing i left him behind to save myself.

@MizzzFizzz Жыл бұрын

@ripvanwinkle2002 Жыл бұрын

@@MizzzFizzz me too.. honestly id be too dumb not to try.. i once got in severe trouble rescuing my friend who couldnt swim during basic training as he nearly put me under till i slapped him and called him a name you cant say any more. the instructor wen off on me for 5 minutes and asked why i thought i could ignore his orders. i told him i was more afraid of my friends mom than i was of him 😅

@annihilation777 Жыл бұрын

Oh wow. This is where REPCON from Fallout New Vegas comes from!

@BlueSpiritFire1 Жыл бұрын

Well, isn't this a lovely follow-up to Dark History's video on the Beirut explosion that I just watched! Welding+Ammonium 2: Explosive Boogaloo.

@tovarischgrazhdanin Жыл бұрын

so cool that you've done a video on this incident. i remember watching a documentary on it on youtube, but istg it evaporated into thin air over the last few years, i couldnt find it anywhere! now people can learn of PEPCON explosion on youtube thanks to your effort

@Wulfjager Жыл бұрын

My parents visited the marshmallow factory a couple weeks prior to the explosion for a tour. To this day they remark on how weird it is for a location that was fresh in their mind to be completely gone

@seandelap8587 Жыл бұрын

Sounds like one of those tragic accidents that no one could have foreseen unlike some of the others when gross human incompetence and negligence have been the major culprits

@pfadiva Жыл бұрын

We must have watched different vids. This has incompetence and negligence written all over it. Too much chemical on site, improper storage of said chemical, no evacuation plan, no adequate firefighting equipment, etc.

@fuckinghelenlikewhatthehel2629 Жыл бұрын

Not to mention the fact that it wasn’t wheel chair accessible

@Unownshipper Жыл бұрын

Was there malicious intent? No. Did the unforeseeable events of the Challenger Explosion make situations far worse than anticipated? Yes. But it still feels like cost-cutting and poor planning were at fault here. I mean, no fire-suppression systems where the barrels were stored... really? The Americans with Disabilities Act wouldn't be signed into law until July of 1990 (I wonder if this event was a partial catalyst?), but you can't help but think someone was negligent with the safety of these mobility-issue employees and the other workers at the site.

@mjmooney6530 Жыл бұрын

There is a common misconception about oxidizers that is rampant among people who make decisions - that they are not flammable/combustible when their literal job is to strongly oxidize. All it takes is coming in contact with incompatible materials (the storage containers in PEPCON’s case) and a source of ignition. In the case of some other propellants, it only needs to start the oxidation process by touching something incompatible to exothermically decompose and will self-sustain until everything is consumed. AP and N2O4 are not flammable but are still listed in 29 CFR 1910.119 Appendix A for a good reason.

@apollofell3925 Жыл бұрын

I remember seeing footage of this explosion on a television episode about explosions when I was very young. Only the recent disasters in Shenzen and Beruit look scarier than the Pepcon explosion. It was extremely fortunate the area was sparsely populated, it could have been so much worse.

@jkennaw4314 Жыл бұрын

I was in fifth grade when this happened. My school & house were about 8 miles from Pepcon. I was at lunch in our school cafeteria when the first explosion happened. All the kids went quiet but then brushed it off since no one was sure what was going on at that point. By the time we were outside playing for recess there was a smoke plume in the sky. We thought maybe a plane had crashed. Everything was business as usual until the gigantic explosion happened that sent kids running and screaming in all directions. They made us shelter in place for the next several hours inside one of the classrooms. Our poor parents couldn't come get us until the all-clear. Some kids were crying. Some were freaked out so bad and inconsolable they thought it was WWIII that started. Got home later and saw two windows shattered and our heavy wooden coffee table had moved about an inch. Crazy how big that explosion was and how much power it had.

@AG-ng8gt Жыл бұрын

I love waking up to a new FH ☺️ I've been a subscriber since you only had a handful of videos made. I'm thrilled to see your success!

@philipmurphy2 Жыл бұрын

Interesting to hear the history, This is one of the underrated KZfaq channels for sure.

@mattc3696 Жыл бұрын

Another thorough report. This story disappeared quickly, so I never heard of the outcome, until now. Well done, Mr. Fascinating.

@LoneWulff829 Жыл бұрын

I was in the cafeteria at school when the first blast hit. They quickly told all students to head to their fourth hour classes. We were waiting outside to get into the class when the second and largest blast occurred. The shock wave, even 10 miles away, collapsed part of the school wing and took the hearing in my right ear for two weeks. It was a miracle that only two people lost their lives.

@broadwayjoe111 Жыл бұрын

You must have been attending Burkholder middle school. I was in 6th grade and remember the principal having us lay on the ground waiting for the school busses to bring us back home. Only thing was that all roads to and from henderson were shut down. So we sat in a bus until almost 4pm on water street just waiting to go home. Our poor parents had no info about us until I showed up at home.

@LoneWulff829 Жыл бұрын

@@broadwayjoe111 That's exactly right. I however had to wait out front to be picked up by my grandparents. I remember the chaos of just trying to find them through the sea of parents and cars all trying to pick their kids up at once.

@vustvaleo8068 Жыл бұрын

while the death toll is small it is sad to hear that the two victims have mobility problems thus unable to escape, also why didn't their coworkers carry the two with them as they evacuate?

@dawnstorm9768 Жыл бұрын

Who knows? Wonder if their conscience bothered them later.

@nerd26373 Жыл бұрын

We appreciate your dedication and hard work. God bless you.

@bennyboogenheimer4553 Жыл бұрын

I remember that gas main being bulged downward 6' into the Earth. It's no wonder it snapped. God Bless the man who gave his life to save so many.

@yaboyblacklist2431 Жыл бұрын

My father was working on top of a semi truck (or Lorry) about 1.5 miles away from pepcon when this happened. He told me he could see the shockwave traveling towards him, and he thought to himself "maybe I should get down from this truck"

@Zimin_Anatoly2000 Жыл бұрын

R.I.P Roy Westerfield

@fizzao1342 Жыл бұрын

A good and brave man. R.I.P.

@195511SM Жыл бұрын

Saw this footage years ago on a couple of other KZfaq channels. The first was from one of those TV shows, but they had dramatic music or a narrator talking over it. But the entire video with sounds of the blasts was on the other channel. Wasn't there some big explosion over in Beruit 2 or 3 years ago? PEPCON instantly came to mind when I saw that other one.

@katiekane5247 Жыл бұрын

Dock blew up

@MelanieCravens Жыл бұрын

I know I am aging myself here but when I think of Beirut explosions, the first that springs to my mind is the attack on the Marines.

@Unownshipper Жыл бұрын

Part of the macabre "charm" (is that the right word?) of these videos is that the horror hits you in slow, gradually building ways. Listening to him describe the lead up, I was at first hesitant to blame anyone (well this facility wasn't designed to hold so much material, well at least they were taking care while making repairs, well at least they warned the fire officials before the larger explosion), but then I heard how the mobility issue employees were practically abandoned and I was pissed off. To Hell with PEPCON. Not only did they screw up big time AND try to shirk responsibility, they then packed up and left to build elsewhere. This means the Henderson plant survivors lost their jobs. And then there was STILL an explosion 9 years later! I appreciate that our narrator looks for the silver linings with these videos, but God... corporate greed.

@jeffreyshort4531 Жыл бұрын

What is also amazing is how much different the area looked then versus today (granted 35 years later).

@madmyrtle2056 Жыл бұрын

My brother in law was working there at the time. To hear him describe it sounds horrifying. I've been obsessed with this since I met him and he told me about it. I watch every video i find on it