 | ■ International
America's hidden chemicals
美國隱藏的化學藥品
Fears of terrorism are keeping toxic plants hidden from the American public
對恐怖活動的恐懼使有毒工廠「隱藏」在美國大眾的視線之外 |
| Until the fertilizer company in West, Texas, blew up in April and demolished scores of homes, many in that town of 2,800 didn't know what chemicals were stored there or how dangerous they were. Even rescue workers didn't know what they were up against. "We never thought about the potential for an explosion," said Dr. George Smith, the EMS director who responded to the factory fire. | 在美國德州韋斯特市的肥料廠四月發生爆炸，炸毀了數十家民宅之前，這個城鎮的兩千八百名居民中很多人都不知道當地貯存了些什麼化學藥品，也不知道它們有多危險。即使 搜救人員也不曉得他們要應付什麼樣的狀況。接獲報告處理這場工廠大火的緊急醫療服務主任喬治史密斯說：「我們從未想到這會有發生爆炸的可能。」 |
| The firefighters that responded to the fire feared that tanks of liquid ammonia would rupture, resulting in a chemical spill. But while they hosed down those tanks to keep them cool, a different chemical — a few tons of ammonium nitrate — exploded with the force of a small earthquake. Fifteen people were killed and more than 160 others were injured by the blast. Smith and his colleagues should have known about the ammonium nitrate. Neighbors should have known, too. | 前往災場灌救的消防人員擔心液態阿摩尼亞槽會破裂，導致化學藥品外洩。但他們在朝這些液態阿摩尼亞槽灑水讓它們冷卻時，另一種化學藥品（幾噸硝酸銨）卻發生造成了十五人喪生、 另外逾一百 六十人受傷的爆炸，爆炸威力有如一場小規模的地震一樣。史密斯和他的同事當時對這些硝酸氨一無所知，住在附近的人也一無所知。 |
| Around the U.S., hundreds of buildings like the one in West store some type of ammonium nitrate. They sit in quiet fields, business districts and around the corner from schools, hospitals and day care centers. By law, this shouldn't be a mystery. Yet fears of terrorism have made it harder than ever for homeowners to find out what dangerous chemicals are hidden nearby. Poor communication can also keep rescue workers in the dark about the risks they face. And some records are so shoddy that rescuers could not rely on them to help save lives. | 在全美各地，數以百計的建築物貯存了某些種類的硝酸銨。這些建築物坐落在安靜的田野裡，在商業區之內或只是轉個街角就有學校，醫院和托兒所的地方裡。法律規定，這不應該是神神秘秘的。但對恐怖主義活動的恐懼使私宅業主愈來愈不容易發現附近有那些危險的化學 藥品隱藏著。溝通不良也使搜救人員搞不清楚他們要面對的是哪一種風險。有些紀錄也過分簡陋草率，搜救人員根本無法靠它們幫忙救命。 |
| That reality is reflected in a monthlong effort by The Associated Press to compile public records on hazardous chemicals stored across the U.S. Drawing upon data from 28 U.S. states, the AP found more than 120 facilities within a potentially devastating blast zone of schoolchildren, the elderly and the infirm. | 美聯社花了一個月的時間匯集了全美各地貯存危險化學藥品的公共紀錄，掌握了此中實情。根據美國廿八個州的數據，美聯社發現有一百廿多家設施一旦發生爆炸， 就會重創有學童，老人和病患場所的範圍之內。 |
| At least 60 facilities reported as having about as much or more ammonium nitrate than the 270 tons West Fertilizer Co. said it had at some point last year. Ammonium nitrate is an important industrial fertilizer and mining explosive that, if stored correctly, is stable and safe. But industrial history is dotted with deadly accidents involving the chemical. Before Texas, the most recent incident occurred at a factory in Toulouse, France, in 2001. That explosion killed 31 people. | 至少有六十家設施報稱所擁有的硝酸氨約略相當於甚或超過韋斯特肥料公司的兩百七十噸。硝酸氨是一種很重要的工業肥料，也是開礦用的炸藥。這種化學品只要正確貯存，是穩定安全的。但工業史上不乏這種化學 藥品引發的事故。在德州的爆炸之前，最晚近的一次事故在二○○一年在法國土魯斯發生，共有卅一人在爆炸中喪生。 |
| Texas investigators still don't know what caused the fire that triggered the West explosion, but the devastation was a reminder of the chemical's power. Because of that explosive potential, if a fire were to break out at an ammonium nitrate company, everyone within a half-kilometer radius could be at risk. | 德州調查人員目前尚不清楚引發韋斯特大爆炸的那場火警是怎樣發生的， 但破壞的嚴重程度足以提醒人這種化學藥品的威力。由於這種化學藥品具有發生爆炸的潛力，因此一旦一家硝酸氨公司發生火警時，方圓半公里之內的人都會身陷危險。 |
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