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The primary reason for the severity of the 2013 West Fertilizer Company event was the large amounts of ammonium nitrate involved in the explosion. Ammonium nitrate is a common fertilizer that, under specific conditions, can become highly explosive. In this incident, the substantial quantities stored on-site contributed to the magnitude of the blast when the material ignited. The combination of the chemical properties of ammonium nitrate, its susceptibility to intense heat and pressure, and the conditions that led to the explosion resulted in a catastrophic event that caused extensive damage and loss of life.

Other factors, such as safety measures and emergency response capabilities, also played a role in the overall situation, but they do not directly account for the intrinsic danger posed by the ammonium nitrate itself. Hence, understanding the properties of ammonium nitrate and the critical risks associated with its storage and handling is essential in analyzing the disaster and recognizing the factors that led to its severity.