The devastating Bitburg tank explosion took place on 23 September 1954 at the then NATO air base near the city Bitburg, in the municipality of Niederstedem, Germany. The explosion took place in an underground storage tank containing JP-4, a military jet fuel blend. The toll was 34 dead, 2 injured, 3 missing. The explosion was caused by the deliberate activation of a novel carbon dioxide fire extinguishment system during an acceptance test as part of final commissioning. The JP-4 blend has since largely been abandoned due to safety concerns because of its low flash point.
Bei der Tanklagerexplosion bei Niederstedem vom 23. September 1954 kamen durch die Explosion eines mit Flugzeugtreibstoff gefüllten Großtanks 29 Menschen ums Leben.
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