Spills

At approximately 2000 on june 23, 1986, lightning struck a warehouse and ignited a fire at the chilean…

Chilean Nitrate Company; Portsmouth, Virginia · Portsmouth, Virginia · NOAAORR-6375

issued: 1986-06-23 00:00Z
status: cancelled 1986-07-07 00:00Z
self-cancels: 1986-07-07 00:00Z
authority: NOAA OR&R
sea: North Atlantic Ocean
position: 36.850, -76.311
source: incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Chilean Nitrate Company; Portsmouth, Virginia.
Portsmouth, Virginia.
1. At approximately 2000 on June 23, 1986, lightning struck a warehouse and ignited a fire at the Chilean Nitrate Company in Portsmouth, Virginia. The warehouse contained approximately 15,000 tons of potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate, which are some of the ingredients for fireworks. USCG district 5.
2. COMMODITY: POTASSIUM NITRATE, SODIUM NITRATE. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 30000000 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 36.850N 076.311W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6375: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6375

This area · spills & pollution incidents

344 within 180 nm since 1976 · 5 in the last 12 months · 0 in force now

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Spills

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