Energy accidents

Energy resources are very important because they help communities grow and provide services that many people rely on. But sometimes, the systems that deliver these energy services can break down, leading to what are called energy accidents. These accidents can cause damage and, sadly, can also result in injuries or even deaths.

Historically, one of the most dangerous energy activities has been coal mining. Many accidents have happened in coal mines over the years. Risks in underground mining include dangers like suffocation, gas poisoning, roof collapses, and gas explosions. In open cut mining, the main dangers come from mine wall failures and vehicle collisions.

From 1907 to 2007, there were many major energy accidents that caused deaths and property damage. The greatest number of deaths related to energy use comes from air pollution, mostly from burning fossil fuels and biomass. This pollution causes many deaths each year around the world.

Fatalities

According to Benjamin K. Sovacool, hydroelectric facilities cause very few energy accidents, but they are responsible for most of the immediate deaths. One big disaster happened in 1975 when Typhoon Nina washed away the Shimantan Dam in China, and many people died. Another serious accident was in 1998 when a pipeline burst and caused an explosion. There was also a big event in 1986 at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Ukraine, which led to many health problems over time.

In coal mining, many accidents happen. In China, many miners died in 2005 and 2006. Coal mining can be very dangerous, and many miners get sick from breathing in coal dust. In the past, many miners died in the United States too, but the number of deaths has gone down over time.

Burning coal and other fuels also pollutes the air, which can harm people's health.

Economic costs

Nuclear power plants have very high economic costs. They make up a big part of all property damage. Oil and hydroelectric power come next. Natural gas and coal have lower costs.

Some very expensive accidents include the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, the Prestige oil spill in Spain, and the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in Pennsylvania.

Today, U.S. regulatory agencies make rules to control pollution. These rules help protect people and the environment.

Selected energy accidents

See also: List of oil spills, List of pipeline accidents in the United States in the 21st century, List of hydroelectric power station failures, Dam failure, List of nuclear and radiation accidents by death toll, List of boiler explosions, Gas explosion, Liquefied natural gas § Safety and accidents, Mining accident, Coal mining disasters in the United States, and Air pollution

• April 26, 1942: A coal-dust explosion at Benxihu Colliery in Japanese occupied China killed many people. This was one of the worst energy accidents ever.
• December 1952: The Great Smog of London, caused by burning coal, made many people very sick.
• May 1962: The Centralia, Pennsylvania coal mine fire began. It continues to burn in the area today.
• October 1963: A gas explosion at the Indianapolis Coliseum happened during a show. Many people were hurt.
• October 1963: The Vajont Dam in Italy failed. A big wave of water washed over villages and many people died.
• March 1967: The Torrey Canyon supertanker ran aground off the coast of England, causing a big oil spill.
• August 1975: The Banqiao Dam in China flooded because of heavy rain. Many people lost their homes.
• March 16, 1978: The Amoco Cadiz sank near France, spilling a lot of crude oil.
• January 8, 1979: Betelgeuse incident, a French oil tanker exploded in Ireland, killing people and damaging the harbor.
• March 28, 1979: Three Mile Island accident. There was a problem with the reactor, and some radioactive gases were released. No one died from the accident.
• June 3, 1979: Ixtoc I oil spill. An oil well blew out, causing a big oil spill.
• November 20, 1980: A Texaco oil rig drilled into a salt mine, changing a lake into a salt water lake.
• February 15, 1982: The mobile offshore oil rig Ocean Ranger sank in Canada, and all the crew were lost.
• July 23, 1984: Romeoville, Illinois, Union Oil refinery explosion killed people.
• November 19, 1984: San Juanico Disaster, an explosion at a gas tank farm in Mexico hurt many people.
• April 26, 1986: Chernobyl disaster. A test at a nuclear power plant went wrong, causing an explosion and fire. Many emergency workers died from radiation, and the area around the plant had to be cleared out.
• May 5, 1988: Norco, Louisiana, Shell Oil refinery explosion hurt people and caused a lot of damage.
• July 6, 1988: Piper Alpha disaster. An explosion and fire on an oil platform in the North Sea caused many deaths.
• March 24, 1989: Exxon Valdez oil spill. An oil tanker hit a reef and spilled oil into the ocean, harming wildlife.
• June 4, 1989: The Ufa train disaster was a big explosion on a train in the Soviet Union. Many people died.
• April 22, 1992: 1992 Guadalajara explosions in Mexico. Explosions in the sewers destroyed streets and hurt many people.
• 1992: A Gas explosion in a Turkish coal mine killed workers.
• September 25, 1998: The Esso Longford gas explosion in Australia hurt people.
• June 10, 1999: The Olympic Pipeline Explosion in Washington, USA hurt people when a pipeline burst and caught fire.
• December 22, 1999: A gas explosion in Scotland killed a family.
• November 5, 2000: The road Ibadan tanker truck explosion in Nigeria killed many people.
• June 2002: A coal mine explosion in China killed many miners.
• June 20, 2003: A gas explosion at a school in Turkey hurt people.
• October 16, 2003 "Derrybrien wind farm", Ireland’s largest wind turbine construction project at the time, on top of a hill, with an underlying layer of peat bog. The accident polluted a nearby lake.
• February 18, 2004 The Nishapur train disaster occurred in Iran, causing a big fire and many deaths.
• March 16, 2004: The Arkhangelsk explosion of 2004 was a gas explosion in Russia that killed many people.
• May 11, 2004: The Stockline Plastics factory explosion was a gas explosion that destroyed a factory in Scotland.
• March 23, 2005: Texas City refinery explosion. An explosion happened at a big oil refinery in Texas, hurting many people.
• July 11, 2005: A gas explosion in Russia hurt people.
• December 11, 2005: Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fire. Big explosions happened at an oil storage place in England, but no one died.
• **January 2, 2006:**The Sago mine disaster caused by a coal mine explosion killed people in the US.
• March 19, 2007 Many miners died after a methane gas explosion in Siberia.
• July 18, 2007 The 2007 New York City steam explosion occurred, hurting people and causing damage.
• June 29, 2009 Viareggio train derailment, a train carrying Liquefied Petroleum Gas(LPG) derailed and exploded. People died, and many were left homeless.
• '17 August 2009: The 2009 Sayano–Shushenskaya power station accident at the Russian hydroelectric station caused many deaths and a lot of damage.
• 29 October 2009: Jaipur (Indian Oil) Fire killed people and forced many to leave their homes.
• November 23, 2009: 2009 Heilongjiang mine explosion A gas explosion in China killed many miners.
• 2010: A gas explosion at a Turkish coal mine killed people.
• February 7, 2010: 2010 Connecticut power plant explosion. A big explosion happened at a power plant in the US, killing five people.
• April 20, 2010: Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. An explosion and fire on an oil platform killed workers and caused a huge oil spill.
• September 9, 2010: The 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion occurred in San Francisco and caused a big fire.
• November 3, 2010: A gas explosion in England destroyed houses and hurt people.
• November 15, 2010: A gas explosion in a hotel in Mexico killed and hurt people.
• December 19, 2010: 2010 Puebla oil pipeline explosion. A pipeline exploded in Mexico after thieves tried to steal oil. Many people died, and the fire was very big.
• March 2011: Cosmo Oil Refinery Fire: A refinery in Japan caught fire during an earthquake. Some storage tanks exploded.
• March 2011: Fukushima I nuclear accidents in Japan. An earthquake and tsunami damaged a nuclear power plant. Many people had to leave their homes.
• March 21, 2011 A coal mine explosion in Pakistan killed miners.
• April 2011 A road fuel tanker overturned in Nigeria, causing a fire that killed people.
• July 12, 2012 Okobie road tanker explosion, a road tanker carrying fuel crashed and exploded, killing many people.
• October 29, 2012: Hurricane Sandy caused a ConEdison power plant to explode, causing a blackout in New York City.
• February 11, 2013 An underground methane gas explosion killed miners in Russia.
• April 5, 2013 A gas well blowout in Texas hurt people.
• April 28, 2013: A gas explosion in France destroyed a building and hurt people.
• July 6, 2013: Lac-Mégantic rail disaster in Quebec Canada. A train carrying oil derailed and caused a fire that killed many people.
• 13 May 2014 The Soma coal mine disaster was an explosion at a coal mine in Turkey that killed many people.
• 31 July 2014 The 2014 Kaohsiung gas explosions occurring in a Kaohsiung City city street in Taiwan, it killed and injured many people.