[3] The blast measured 3.4 on the Richter scale,[4] with an estimated power equivalent to 20-40 tons of TNT.

[5] Due to the acoustics of the hills and the loud sound, the explosion was reported as occurring in multiple places.

[citation needed] The total damages paid by insurance groups exceeded 1.5 billion euros.

[citation needed] On 4 October 2001, France's then Environment Minister Yves Cochet announced that the explosion "may have been a terrorist attack" (the explosion occurred ten days after the September 11 attacks) and identified Hassan Jandoubi, a plant sub-contractor killed in the blast, as a person under investigation.

French anti-terrorist authorities were prohibited by the Toulouse prosecutor from searching Jandoubi's house for five days after the incident.