A petroleum refinery experienced a catastrophic rupture of a heat exchanger in the catalytic reformer / naphtha hydrotreater unit (the NHT unit). The heat exchanger, catastrophically ruptured because of High Temperature Hydrogen Attack.Highly flammable hydrogen and naphtha at more than 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260C) were released from the ruptured heat exchanger and ignited, causing an explosion and an intense fire that burned for more than three hours.

The naphtha and hydrogen gas leaked out from the gasoline reformer at the Southwest Petroleum as the relief-valve was operated after its repair.Although the source (Asian database ADRC) does not mention it, by looking at the fatalities it can be assumed that the mixture took fire and/or exploded,