Temporary Bypass Pipe Failed - The Result Was Catastrophic (Flixborough Chemical Explosion 1974)

June 1974 - The Nypro Chemical works exploded with such force that the entire plant was reduced to rubble and twisted metal. The sound was heard up to 60km away and metal parts were found over 30km distant. For years it ranked as Britain's biggest explosion.... Find out what went wrong in this video.
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Although focused primarily on disasters, this channel is all about the interesting, the strange, the unsolved, the tragic. Our world has a varied history full of terrible tragedies, bizarre tales, unexplained events, and extravagant people. I hope you enjoy some of the fascinating stories we have here.
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[@theravenseye9443]

Re-uploaded due to copyright issue taking down the original. Slightly edited, another golden oldie sees the light of day again!

[@piaonomata9220]

You are one of our favorite documentary KZbinrs. Thank you for everything you do!!

[@dantheman5745]

Appropriately re-uploaded too, as the 50th anniversary of this disaster approaches.

[@reachandler3655]

That explains the dejavu

[@charliekezza]

I'll watch it again anyway. Stupid KZbin taking shit down

[@chocolatechip12]

I thought I was having one of those premonition things!

[@_KRose]

I "love" how so many of these workplace disasters boil down to "we need to shut X down for maintenance and it's not safe to continue work until it's fixed" "yeah, but money" "oh, well we'll do this sketchy thing so we can continue work while it's not fixed then"

[@MajorT0m]

Yes it often makes me face turquoise covering eyes.

[@ichaukan]

The few times I've worked in factories I've seen the exact same attitude every time. "Routine maintenance and cleaning takes too much time" until a machine breaks down, then it was panic mode to get a tech out there to get the thing up and running again, the tech comments "Wow this machine is dirty. No wonder it broke down. Y'all need to keep up routine maintenance." Then when the machine is fixed "Oh now we're behind schedule so we really don't have time for maintenance." 2 weeks later, the same machine breaks down again, rinse, repeat.

[@ursodermatt8809]

yeah but, that bypass pipe ruptured, obviously that was the cause of the accident not not turning it down.

[@BrianHensley-jz1bj]

I got the impression that they didn’t know what actually caused it to explode. Was it not sealed properly or did something else crack? I don’t remember them saying what caused this tragedy. But then again I’m not always the sharpest tool in the shed. Hahaha

[@bennyd345]

Got to give it to you, Raven, I knew at around 10 k subscribers that your channel was about to explode, and here we are almost a year later and you're on the verge of a hundred thousand.! I knew your hard work and fascinating content would pay off, and I'm happy to have been on the mark. Congratulations, well earned.👏 Looking forward to seeing where you go from here. A grateful fan and subscriber!

[@apathyisdeath2977]

Just as I'm heading to bed. You've got a fantastic narration voice Raven Eye. All the best with the future of your channel mate. 💙

[@theravenseye9443]

Cheers!

[@simonpearn479]

I wonder who the person is who does the narration for these informative video clips?

[@francoisgoulet3352]

Thx for all your videos. I just hope you can do this full time and make as much as you can. Greetings from Québec Canada 🇨🇦.

[@theravenseye9443]

At the moment it has to be part time due to "real life" work... but yes, maybe one day I can go full time....maybe...

[@francoisgoulet3352]

@@theravenseye9443 Hi raven 🐦‍⬛. Look up the « Lac Mégantic train catastrophy » train crash in the province of Quebec. Huge explosion. A bar completely wiped out. Real drama. Would make a good episode.

[@simong7539]

Remember my dad telling me about this the next day, 4 at the time I didn't watch the news. Remember the Buncefield explosion really clearly as I lived just outside the M25 and had got up to go to the toilet when all the windows started rattling.

[@jameshowe6057]

Go and check out “Fascinating Horror” they just did Buncefield

[@hillaryg4yle]

Somehow the fact that the woman herself was surprised by & couldn't explain her premonition makes it so much creepier!

[@gehtdianschasau8372]

No it doesn't. Three friends used a tregedy to get some attention from the yellow press. Of course she's say everything, that would get her more attention or make it more believable. The creepiest thing about it is, that there are people, that use such accidents for their personal gain. And some morons just suck it up,...

[@daniellapan232]

I really look forward to a new Ravens Eye video. Another stellar job friend, all the best to you.

[@DarkSitesChannel]

'Copyright Issue' the eternal enemy of the educational, pro wrestling or Star Trek content producer.

[@theravenseye9443]

Good to see your channel growing - it's a tough grind at the start but keep at it.

[@DarkSitesChannel]

@theravenseye9443 cheers! Actually shocked how popular some of my videos are. Only started because my Mom, Wife and eldest daughter essentially told me one day 'All this weird stuff you know......couldn't you do a KZbin channel with it?'

[@visnichba]

Another excellent video from you! There was another BASF plant explosion in the 1990's in Cincinnati, Ohio USA. I worked with a fellow whose father lost a leg in the explosion.

[@skipast75]

Mr. Ballen got me hooked on story telling. Your channel and Scary Interesting are my 2 favorites now. The stories of the African dictators are incredible and horrific. And the Darian Gap story was amazing. There have been other epic journeys I’d love to hear you cover. The 1908 New York to Paris automobile race was probably the most insane race ever ran. Keep up the amazing work. Cheers from Minnesota.

[@theravenseye9443]

Thanks for the positive comment and suggestion for future topic !

[@msmongooseable]

Leslie Brennan lived near my grandad in Clee - she swore up and down that it was true, and in fact it was a real struggle to get her to speak about it afterwards as so many people called her a crank!

[@BingWrosby]

I was 9 years old when the Northridge earthquake hit Los Angeles. I had a premonition of sorts the night before when I asked my Dad if California was so known for earthquakes, why hadn’t we experienced a major one at home? 4 something the next morning our ceilings were split.

[@roger2008100]

Brilliant presentation. Truly well done and thank you.

[@chrishowgill888]

Please stop congratulating yourself with these phoney comments. It's so obviously fraudulent. Just to get clicks. Don't get them bo'"-ocks!

[@chrishowgill888]

Balls liar

[@fourstringbuck]

Always a great day when you put up a new video. Thanks!

[@akeman21]

Great work as always sir...keep them coming. 👍

[@chrishowgill888]

Liar liar liar. Stop getting yer mates to "comment" prick

[@1unsung971]

Good narration and deep research. Top channel Sir. Thank you and well done. These videos are really good. Best wishes from Wellington, New Zealand.

[@chrishowgill888]

Balls liar

[@kevinfoley8105]

Respect to the firemen in the video, what courage they had to get so close to this monstrosity.

[@jameshowe6057]

My dad said he recalled sitting in the back garden of his house in Hatfield near Doncaster on a warm saturday afternoon and heard the “Boom” of the explosion

[@65charliemopic]

Great video, as usual.

[@theravenseye9443]

Thanks

[@jeremylukedominicbate7482]

Wow! I lived around 15 km away, except a couple of months before this accident we emigrated to Australia, and came back in 1981, after it closed. I hate nylon anyway!

[@jeremylukedominicbate7482]

This explains why I hate plastics, nylon etc. that those poor unfortunate people died so tragically for : kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6PEZa2Yo6mAd6c

[@timothyporter1632]

I love your voice and accent. I really enjoy your channel. The content is grim, but very well narrated and described.

[@jbaker7311]

Thank you!! Where did you get your amazing voice? I can't wait to hear it each time😊

[@SilentPartner79]

1:28 This looks awfully suspicious...

[@davidpawson7393]

Wrinkled?

[@RedfishCarolina]

Dalek

[@teejayy2130]

At the time I lived in Beverley far across the Humber. I remember the bang as we we outside playing in the street

[@agentolshki4265]

When I watched this channels video on Bophal i remembered the account of the premonition that woman had and I always thought it was about bophal so I misremembered it but I can still visualise the clip of her talking about it.

[@elmin82]

interesting as always

[@andyroo3022]

Interesting video. The old Jerry Rigged pipe chestnut.

[@brandyjean7015]

Most folks realize that shortcuts, are usually anything but...

[@eadweard.]

Bit tenuous.

[@mfrsr]

great, thanks for reuploading

[@theravenseye9443]

No problem

[@lofthouse23]

Just the word Flixborough sends chills throughout the country.

[@chrishowgill888]

I was at home in Hull, Saturdays afternoon listening to football with my dad. He came back in from the yard saying he'd just heard this explosion. We were 20 miles away! Across the river Humber! Some people in management at that place Seriously Effed Upp.

[@mjrippe]

@5:55 That is a clock made in the Soviet Union (CCCP)

[@DB.scale.models]

We in my city I live in, Was subject to a hexain explosion in a plant I subcontracted to many times as an insulator . The plant was out of town near the river, and there were no homes nearby. Some were killed, and others badly burned. Men I knew and work with.😢

[@richardsnowball4078]

I drove past the site of the explosion on what was then I think the A18 ( now the new M180) one year after the disaster. About 2 miles from the epicentre you could still see scorched trees beside the road and damaged buildings. This was the middle of the Cold War. It rather put the scale of a nuke into context for me and brought home the risks associated with chemical plants.Scary!

[@ljenk5]

Thanks!

[@gabrielpowers766]

I bet that guy that called in sick to go fishing that day felt pretty good about doing it.

[@troygroomes104]

Awesome videos

[@klayed]

hmmmmmmmmmmmm many questions remain

[@TheJaymon1962]

Excellent

[@gw6061]

I work in the industrial estate often wondered about this tragic event as been told by few RIP

[@MoultrieGeek]

I was 11 when this occurred and I'm sure this disaster was covered in the American press but I have no recollection of it. How many times have profit over safety led to preventable disasters? I'm beginning to sound like a broken record but this is another excellent video in your catalog.

[@lololandify]

Copyright strikes are getting outta hand

[@JamesCampbell-vf3vb]

Maybe the woman could have had Precognition. It is where someone can tell something is going on before it happens itself.

[@TheGreatest1974]

‘Bypasses cause bangs’

[@jorgezarco9269]

The male models of June 1974 looked like The Isley Brothers, Dennis Parker and Tom Selleck.

[@deniseatkins9407]

Crikey I was 2 when this happened and live on the coast near Grimsby

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

Fertilizer, then the poop hit the fan!

[@cmonkey63]

Not sad at the end of 1970s polyester leisure suits, but I am sad at the demise of the 28 people in the control room that day. They wouldn't have even known what was coming.

[@kristinarain9098]

Yay new ravens eye, a sammich and a drink! Muh day is complete

[@user-wm3bf7pi3u]

The horrors of leisure suits..........

[@HandyMan657]

Thanks for the upload. Just wanted to add that it was a brilliant idea to turn comments off for your last episode. Cheers.

[@davidpawson7393]

Why? He didn't turn comments off, if he had It would've read, "comments disabled". YT turned them off.

[@RuminatingWizard]

Why??

[@channelwithstuffandthings2809]

You should do a video on the Air France flight 447 plane crash

[@theresadimaggio7241]

Terrible tragedy.

[@CaymanIslandsCatWalks]

Holly from red dwarf?

[@Cdearle]

It will be 50 years ago next month. I well remember it.

[@jasinere35]

flixborough is north of scunthorpe in the lincolshire district the site still has some of the original buildings that survived the devistation & is now a small industrial complex housing several buisnesses its not quite in the north its classed as the midlands

[@christophermerlot3366]

58-1.04 Total stud muffins.

[@grapeshot]

Well there's your problem...

[@marypasco2213]

And no one was charged.

[@thomcarr7021]

Another unseen disaster is the use of nylon for clothes in the '60's led to the downfall of civilization.

[@ImmortalTreknique]

For the mighty algorithm 🍻

[@theravenseye9443]

Cheers and thanks!

[@VTPSTTU]

I'm skeptical of the claim that they don't know how the pipe failed by fatigue. That they couldn't replicate the vibrations doesn't mean that they don't know what happened. They do know what happened. They put in a bypass line that wasn't properly supported. Simply building a scaffolding and resting pipe on the scaffolding is not proper engineering. If they had done the calculations and created proper support for the bypass line, the line would not have failed. This disaster is an example of not doing simple engineering on a temporary modification. They just assumed that the inadequate support of scaffolding and the flexibility of the bellows joints would solve any problems in that line. That assumption was wrong and fatal. There was nothing wrong with running a bypass while the fifth reactor was being repaired. The problem was that the bypass was not properly engineered.

[@cristianbeeman9560]

"Reality is an ILLUSION, albeit a Very Persistent One!" - a wise man once said. It's also borne out in Christianity by the saying that this world is but shadows and dreams (forgot where, though). If only people would ACT on that, and make this shared dream as PLEASANT as possible!

[@PJay-wy5fx]

At 00:57, whose brain also went: 'Men's wear' in mr. Humphries' fake deep voice? Or is it just my ADHD-brain that is still not willing to settle down even if it's 3 in the morning?

[@chipseal9403]

If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked. (Proverbs chapter twenty-nine)

[@atankersview]

For the algorithm!

[@bigoldgrizzly]

I stopped wearing nylon shirts so the market crashed '

[@blown572hemi]

Why? Because insurance will pay for it. Screw safety. Greed are all that matter

[@terencehill2320]

Yuck FouTube! For taking down your video on something you couldn't control

[@jimihendrix991]

...so why NO MENTION of the actual TOWN (of which Flixborough is more or less a 'suburb') SCUNTHORPE (population of 80000)! And the fact that Normanby Park Steel Works was less than 2 miles away, let alone the MASSIVE Appleby-Frodingham Steel works just a little further down the road, and that the blast wave caused MASSIVE ISSUES at both facilities for weeks afterwards.....?

[@privatelyprivate3285]

Comment to give value

[@bobsrandomchannel7589]

See even back then they wanted 15 mins of fame

[@user-qp6ep1lc5n]

Sad thing is about 1/3 of the people that watch this will actually believe the loonie woman really did have a premonition. LOL

[@bigoldgrizzly]

she probably had this 'premonition' every day. ..... like a coal miner looking at the last glimpse of daylight as the cage started down and fearing he may never see daylight again.

[@harrieelias5756]

Everything you are doing will fail, it is a matter of time!!!!! Aggressors will never win.

[@Truckngirl]

Premonition? Or a glitch in the Matrix?

[@keithnaylor1981]

Ruined by the use of kilometres.

[@abqmalenurse]

Capitalism in action.

[@DominikoPL]

Fcuk KZbin

[@riveness]

I dont believe the premonition story. Simply another cad maing money of tragic circumstances

[@johnny5805]

Lincolnshire is NOT in "the north of England". Midlands maybe. East Anglia, maybe. But not the north. Also, you keep pronouncing some words like you are a southerner (when your accent says you clearly are not) - "glarse" instead of glass. "Arfternoon" instead of afternoon. "Plarnt" instead of plant. "Parssed" instead of passed. "Disarster" instead of disaster. Weirdly though, you pronounced "staff" correctly. Don't be ashamed of where you are from !

[@jameshowe6057]

North East lincolnshire is the North it’s basically “Humberside” which amalgamates Hull (yorkshire) and other villages and towns around that area Im from Thorne area originally (Doncaster) and we class North lincs as northern definitely not midland’s, that’s South Lincolnshire area 😄

[@KarenAlexandrite-aka-PinkRose]

Huh. I don't hear all those Rs.

[@Nivola1953]

Oh come on, typical British supernatural folklore. Good documentary on an industrial accident of cataclysmic proportions, then all ruined by the “supernatural” natural claims of predictions, that are known only after it happened! 🤌🏻👎🏻🙄👎🏻 Stopped watching as soon as the word premonition was mentioned.

[@DouglasCarnall]

Agree her two mates backing her up is sketchy evidence. Typical 1970s "supernatural" guff. I blame the Hammer House of Horror movies on BBC2

[@theravenseye9443]

Of course I realize that they could have made it all up - I just included it as an odd footnote to the story as it was well known at the time...

[@DouglasCarnall]

@@theravenseye9443 I loved it. Took me right back. Big fan of your work 🙏😀

[@jameshowe6057]

Something similar in the wrawby Junction rail accident in 1983 nearly ten years later? (premonition by a medium about the accident, involving British rail?)

[@KarenAlexandrite-aka-PinkRose]

​@@theravenseye9443I'm glad you included it. Don't change, Mr. Raven. Thanks for a great channel! 😊