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CSB  CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS
August 19, 2004 Sterigenics Ethylene Oxide Explosion, Ontario, CA
At approximately 3:00 p.m. on August 19, 2004, an explosion occurred inside an ethylene oxide sterilization chamber and an associated thermal oxidizer at the Sterigenics facility in Ontario, California. Four employees suffered minor injuries and the facility was rendered unusable.
April 23, 2004 Formosa Plastics Explosion, Illiopolis, IL
On April 23, 2004, four workers were killed and three others were seriously injured when an explosion occurred in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production unit at Formosa Plastics in Illiopolis, Illinois, east of Springfield. The explosion apparently followed a release of highly flammable vinyl chloride, which ignited. The explosion forced a community evacuation and lighted fires that burned for several days at the plant. On May 13, 2004, one of the surviving burn victims died of his injuries.
April 12, 2004 MFG Chemical Inc. Toxic Gas Release, Dalton, GA
On the evening of April 12, 2004, a chemical reactor overheated at the MFG Chemical manufacturing plant, releasing hydrochloric acid and allyl alcohol. The resulting gas cloud sent 184 people to a local hospital and forced the evacuation of nearby residents. Vegetation and aquatic life near the plant were killed.
April 8, 2004 Giant Industries Refinery Explosions and Fire, Gallup, NM
On April 8, 2004, four workers were seriously injured when highly flammable gasoline components were released and ignited at the Giant Industries Ciniza refinery, east of Gallup, New Mexico. The release occurred as maintenance workers were removing a malfunctioning pump from the refinery's hydrofluoric acid (HF) alkylation unit. Unknown to personnel, a shut-off valve connecting the pump to a distillation column was apparently in the open position, leading to the release and subsequent explosions.
November 17, 2003 DPC Enterprises Chlorine Release, Glendale, AZ
On November 17, 2003, there was a release of chlorine gas from the DPC Enterprises chlorine repackaging facility in Glendale, Arizona, near Phoenix. Fourteen people, including ten police officers, required treatment for chlorine exposure. The release occurred when chlorine vapors from a rail car unloading operation escaped from a system designed to recapture the material, known as a scrubber. Owing to the exhaustion of absorbent chemicals in the scrubber, chlorine gas was released.
October 29, 2003 Hayes Lemmerz Dust Explosions and Fire, Huntington, IN
On the evening of October 29, 2003, a series of explosions severely burned two workers, injured a third, and caused property damage to the Hayes Lemmerz manufacturing plant in Huntington, Indiana. One of the severely burned men subsequently died. The Hayes Lemmerz plant manufactures cast aluminum automotive wheels, and the explosions were fueled by accumulated aluminum dust, a flammable byproduct of the wheel production process.
July 20, 2003 Honeywell Chemical Incidents, Baton Rouge, LA
On July 20, 2003, there was a release of chlorine gas from the Honeywell refrigerant manufacturing plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The accident resulted in the hospitalization of four plant workers and required residents within a half-mile radius to shelter in their homes. On July 29, 2003, a worker was fatally injured by exposure to antimony pentachloride when a gas cylinder released its contents to the atmosphere. On August 13, 2003, two plant workers were hospitalized for exposure to hydrofluoric acid.
February 20, 2003 CTA Acoustics Dust Explosion and Fire, Corbin, KY
On February 20, 2003, an explosion and fire damaged the CTA Acoustics manufacturing plant in Corbin, Kentucky, fatally injuring seven workers. The facility produced fiberglass insulation for the automotive industry. CSB investigators have found that the explosion was fueled by resin dust accumulated in a production area, likely ignited by flames from a malfunctioning oven. The resin involved was a phenolic binder used in producing fiberglass mats.