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November 10 Spark at Recycling Plant Ignites Metal Dust, Workers Flee
In Modesto, California an explosion and fire at a recycling plant sent
workers running for cover. A spark ignited an explosive mixture of
aluminum dust, which shattered windows and observers described as sounding
like a sonic boom. There were no reports of injuries.
November 9 Indictment Against Company President For Ignoring Warnings
About Cleaning Process, Resulted in Explosion Killing 5 and Injuring 2
Others
U.S. Attorney Michael R. Stiles announced a 12-count indictment charging Irl ``Chip'' Ward, president of
Concept Sciences Inc. (CSI) of Allentown, Pennsylvania with violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.
The indictment stems from a fatal explosion that occurred on February 19,
1999. On the first full day of production of a highly concentrated form of hydroxylamine
(a cleaning material for computer chips), an explosion tore through the
production building killing four workers and a man working in an adjacent
business. An additional two others were injured. The explosion happened in a 2,500-gallon fiberglass reinforced charge tank containing about 750 pounds of hydroxylamine. OSHA could not determine what ignited the tank, since the building was destroyed.
The indictment alleges that a test of the process over a year before the
explosion by an in house chemist resulted in an explosion. It also alleges
that CSI was warned by Ashland Chemical, a potential customer, that the
process probably would not work. Ward, who was a majority shareholder in the company along with his wife and father, faces a maximum of 24 months in prison, a $3 million fine and one year of
probation. Ward's attorney replied that the charges are "unfounded and unwarranted."
November 6 Oil Tank Truck in Nigeria Collides With Parked Cars, 96
Dead
An oil tank truck in southwestern Nigeria slammed into a line of
parked vehicles and burst into flames, killing 96 people and injuring at
least 50 others. Witnesses said that the truck's brakes failed as it approached a line of cars passing through a police checkpoint ahead of a toll bridge.
The bridge links the Nigerian towns of Ife and Ibadan. The tanker slammed into the cars spilling fuel, which ignited on impact.
The fireball engulfed a 500-yard radius and consumed at least 15
cars.
November 5 Lightning Strike at Texas Chemical Facility Injures 6
Lightning struck an electrical transformer during a thunderstorm Sunday igniting a fire at the Multi-Chem Inc. chemical warehouse here.
Sonora residents living within a half-mile radius of the facility were taken to a nearby civic center while firefighters from three departments fought the fire.
The one-story warehouse fire contained methanol, cleaning solvents and other hazardous chemicals.
About 200 people were evacuated and six were injured.
November 3 Arkansas Truck Fire Forces Evacuations
A truck containing zinc oxide that pulled up too close to a burning
building, caught fire and released toxic fumes into the area. The
evacuation zone encompassed an area of Helena, Arkansas of about 1,000
people, but no injuries were reported. Fires involving zinc oxide can result in fumes causing coughing, chest pains, chills, fever, nausea and vomiting.
November 2 Fatal Explosion in South Korean Plastics Factory
An explosion at the Danil Chemicals Co. facility in Ansan, 22 miles
southwest of Seoul killing two and injuring 40 others (nine seriously). In
addition to threat from the fire and debris, there was some dispute as to
whether there was also a toxic release. The cause of the incident is under
investigation, and no details were available.
November 2 Twenty-Six Workers treated for Exposure Following Inadvertent
Chemical Reaction
An epoxy dispenser machine was being purged for maintenance. The compounds
were disposed of in a waste barrel, where they mixed with other chemicals
and produced a reaction generating heat and smoke. Twenty-three workers
and three firefighters were treated and released from a local hospital for
exposure complaining of headaches, scratchy throats, dizziness and nausea.
Exposure there was not considered life threatening.
November 2 Pilotless Boat Runs Aground on Australian Great Barrier Reef
A Malaysian container ship carrying 1211 tons of fuel oil, 94 tons of diesel oil and 1500
contains that were classified as dangerous goods, ran aground onto Sudbury
Reef, near the city of Cairns in the northern state of Queensland. There
was no report of any spill associated with this incident. The Malaysian-owned vessel is one of the largest ships ever to run aground on the reef and the second serious grounding in the past five years.
With about 20 crew on board, the ship was traveling in an area that, under international treaty obligations, does not require a pilot. She had just left a compulsory piloted area when the accident occurred.
November 1 Fire at Chemical Storage Warehouse, Catastrophe Averted
Flames from a major fire at a chemical storage warehouse in Mumbai, India
rose to over 200 feet, just 20 meters from storage tanks containing 200
barrels of methyl. Eight fire engines, six tankers and two foam fire
tenders (used for chemical fires) required nearly two hours to bring the
fire under control. Six firemen (out of 100 deployed) were injured during
the blaze. There was special concern about this fire because it was
located near the storage tanks of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL)
and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL).
November 1 Flash Fire at New Brunswick Oil Refinery Injures Two Workers
Welders at a $ 1 billion upgrade project at the Irving Oil Refinery in
St. John, New Brunswick Canada were injured in a flash fire. A vacuum truck was collecting gases when some of the fumes drifted over to
the welders; their torches ignited the gas. One of the workers was
admitted to the local burn unit. The upgrade project has spurred some
controversy as it is located in a residential and commercial area.
November 1 Oil Pipeline Rupture in Mexico Spills into Local Rivers
In the State of Veracruz, Mexico. An oil pipeline belonging to Pemex apparently ruptured as a result of flood damage and leaked 980 barrels of oil into two rivers that feed into a system of lagoons. The spill was controlled after contaminating a 10 km stretch of water which will take about two weeks to clean up. Pemex said that this was "a very complicated, large spill" but claimed that it is under control and its effects will be minimal.
October 31 Tanker Off French Coast Leaks Styrene into Atlantic Coast
Facing pressure from gale force winds, the "Ievoli Sun" tanker
containing mostly styrene foundered off the Atlantic Coast near the
Channel Islands and may have leaked some of the chemicals aboard. Air and
water samples from a follow up investigation days later show no presence
of the toxics that were aboard. Styrene is a flammable chemical used to make plastics, rubber and resins. Other products on board included isopropyl, or rubbing, alcohol, and methyl ethyl
ketone, often used as a solvent. While some pollutants were observed near
the vessel, it is not clear that it was styrene or fuel from the vessel
itself. The tanker sank before it was able to reach port, but the crew was
able to evacuate by helicopter. Environmental groups warned that the chemicals, especially styrene, could cause serious ecological problems if they leaked out of the ship. Styrene is highly toxic and causes cancer in laboratory animals.
Shell Chemicals, which chartered the ship, said the styrene would not damage the environment. In case of a spill, the company said, the styrene would float to the surface, evaporating in a matter of hours.
Just days before the incident, the Ievoli Sun was impounded by Dutch
officials for safety violations, but was allowed to set sail after the
violations were corrected and because the infractions were minor.
October 31 Construction Workers Taken to Hospital After Hydrocarbon Vapors Leak From Chemical Plant
Twelve construction workers were exposed to vapors from a leaking hydrocarbon storage tank at Nova Chemicals Co., adjacent to the
petrochemical construction site. The incident took place near Red Deer,
Canada in the Province of Alberta. Six of the workers were taken to Red Deer regional hospital for further evaluation and five were kept overnight for observation. No one in the Nova Chemicals plant was affected.
The leak was from a hydrocarbon storage tank in an outdoor area of the plant, he said. It was caused by the
failure of a "rupture disk" on the tank's fire protection line. The disk is
designed to rupture and allow fire suppression foam to be pumped into the line in the event of a fire inside the tank.
October 30 British Village Evacuated As Winds Blow Toxic Fumes From Fire at Chemical Factory
A release from a chemical plant in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom blew
toxic fumes, including cyanide, into the local village. About 50 people
were asked to evacuate their homes and others were asked to
shelter-in-place in the upper floors of their dwellings.
October 27 Explosion at Contra Costa County Plastics Recycling Facility
Kills One, Spur Community Reaction
An explosion at the MBA Polymers plastics recycling plant in Richmond,
California killed one worker, caused evacuations in some areas and
shelter-in place warnings in others. More than 200 people, including factory workers and firefighters, crowded area hospitals with complaints of irritated throats and eyes, headaches and other ailments.
Early damage estimates of this single-story warehouse are approximately $2
million. Toxins from the burning plastic included benzene, butane, toluene and xylene,
but according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD),
the toxic compounds fell below safety thresholds set by the state's Environmental Protection Agency.
Local community reaction was strong as this area has been beset with a
number of high-profile incidents from nearby refineries. The California division of Occupational Safety and Health said it has received no
prior complaints about MBA Polymers or reports of accidents there. A spokeswoman for an industry-funded emergency communications system that includes 22 sirens in Richmond,
criticized the county for waiting three hours after the 2 a.m. fire before activating an automated telephone-warning system, and about seven hours before sounding warning sirens. County officials replied that it made little sense to call people early in the morning, when most were still asleep, to tell them to stay indoors. The plant is considered to be one of the most technologically advanced recycling operations in the world,
specializing in recycling plastic from computers and other high-tech equipment that are considered some of the most difficult materials to recycle.
October 22 Fatal Tanker Truck Explosion in Longview, Texas
A tanker truck carrying 8,000 gallons of liquid propane exploded and burst into flames while unloading. Two people were killed and one injured. Police evacuated 200 residents in a 5km radius after fears that a nearby propane tank holding as much as 30,000 gallons of fuel could also explode. Witnesses said the first blast was followed almost immediately by a larger explosion when the tanker truck,
which is owned by Martin Resource Management Corp., caught fire.
October 20 Propane Explosion at Bottling Plant
A Coca-Cola bottling plant in Downey, California was the scene of a
propane explosion that injured two workers. The explosion was blamed on a leaking 1,100-gallon liquid propane tank, probably ignited by a water heater. A fire in wooden pallets and plastic soft drink bottles was extinguished in 45 minutes. The blast shattered the windows of a hotel across the street from the plant, and more than 30 other structures, including the plant, suffered some damage.
October 17 Another Fatal Welding Accident
One person was killed and three injured when a man was trying to weld a ball valve on the back of an oil field tanker truck and gases from hydrocarbon residue ignited. The blast blew a hole in the workshop's metal roof and sent pieces flying across the yard.
The incident took place at the Key Energy, Inc. Facility in Kilgore,
Texas. Key Energy recently purchased the Kilgore facility, which was previously supervised by Dawson Productions and Mobley Oilfield Services and has been in operation about 20 years.
Sources and Disclaimer:
AcuSafe's Incident News Summary is primarily compiled from Reuters and AP
news wires, and from information shared on the U.S. Chemical Safety and
Hazard Investigation Board Chemical Incident Reports Center. An effort has
been made to summarize stories only from reputable sources, but neither
AcuSafe nor AcuTech Consulting can guarantee the accuracy of the story,
nor do they necessarily reflect the views of AcuTech, AcuSafe, and its
staff. We make no effort to independently corroborate the accuracy of the
incident news stories.
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