Final answer:
It is true that storing large quantities of toxic or flammable materials can cause fatalities. Examples include the Love Canal Disaster, gas heater incidents, and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Proper storage and handling are vital to prevent these tragedies.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, storing large quantities of toxic or flammable materials can indeed result in fatalities among members of the public. There are numerous examples of incidents that corroborate this fact. For instance, the Love Canal Disaster involved improper storage of chemical waste which had severe health impacts on the local community, including claims of increased birth defects and cancer. In addition, unventilated or improperly adjusted gas heaters, which can be found in homes or workplaces, are responsible for dozens of deaths each year due to insufficient combustion that produces deadly carbon monoxide.
Large-scale environmental crises such as the oil disaster that occurred in the Louisiana Gulf Coast in 2010 have led to toxic residue, causing long-term health issues for people living in proximity to such disasters. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire also highlights the danger when strict building codes and regulations regarding the safety of potentially hazardous materials are lacking, leading to tragic loss of life. Furthermore, flammable substances like hydrogen are dangerous to store due to their highly explosive nature, as demonstrated by the historical Hindenburg disaster.
Moreover, environmental pollution affects not just the immediate vicinity of the toxic release but can also affect broader areas and more people, especially among minority groups who are more likely to live near such sites or work in hazardous conditions. Therefore, proper storage and handling of these materials are critical to prevent such tragedies.