The resulting explosion, one of the worst vapour cloud explosions that
has ever occurred, destroyed the oxidation unit and neighbouring units
and caused extensive damage to the rest of the site. In particular the
company office block, about 100 m away, was destroyed and had the
Flixborough 85
Figure 8.2 Sketch of pipe and bellows assembly showing shear forces on the bellows and
bending moments in the pipe (due to internal pressure only). (Reproduced by permission
of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office)
explosion occurred during office hours, rather than at 5 pm on a Saturday,
the death toll might have been about 128 instead of twenty-eight. There
is a detailed account of the explosion and of the events leading up to it
in the official report
3 and in reference 4.