News Releases

CSB Releases Safety Bulletin on the Dangers of Purging Gas Piping into Buildings, Urges Outdoor Venting of Gases

Oct 02, 2009

Washington, DC, October 2, 2009 – In a new safety bulletin based on preliminary findings from the ConAgra Foods natural gas explosion in Garner, North Carolina, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) urged companies, gas installers, and contractors to follow safe practices during gas purging operations, including venting purged gases outdoors whenever practicable.

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CSB Finds T2 Laboratories Explosion Caused by Failure of Cooling System Resulting in Runaway Chemical Reaction; Report Notes Company Did Not Recognize Hazards of Chemical Process

Sep 15, 2009

Jacksonville, Florida, September 15, 2009 – The massive December 2007 explosion and fire at T2 Laboratories in Jacksonville was caused by a runaway chemical reaction that likely resulted from an inadequate reactor cooling system, investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said in a final draft report released today. The Board is to vote on the report findings and recommendations at a public meeting in Jacksonville this evening. Concluding that T2 did not recognize all of the potential hazards of the process for making a gasoline additive, the report calls for improving the education of chemical engineering students on reactive chemical hazards. The explosion and fire on December 19, 2007, killed four T2 employees and injured four others. In addition, 28 people working at nearby businesses were injured when building walls and windows blew in. The blast sent debris up to a mile away and damaged buildings within a quarter-mile of the facility.

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CSB to Hold Public Meeting in Savannah, Georgia, September 24; Board will Consider Final Investigation Report on Fatal Dust Explosion at Imperial Sugar Refinery

Sep 14, 2009

Washington, DC, September 15, 2009 - The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced that it will convene a public meeting on Thursday September 24, 2009, in Savannah, Georgia, to review the final CSB investigation report on the causes of the February 2008 dust explosions and fire at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton Savannah Desoto, located at 15 East Liberty Street. The meeting is free and open to the public. Members of the public, those affected by the accident, and emergency responders are encouraged to attend and to provide comments prior to the Board’s consideration of the final report. The meeting is expected to conclude at approximately 9:00 p.m.

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CSB to Hold Public Meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, September 15; Board to Consider Final Investigation Report on Fatal Reactive Chemical Accident at T2 Laboratories

Aug 31, 2009

Washington, DC, August 31, 2009 – The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced today that it will convene a public meeting on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, in Jacksonville, Florida, at which CSB investigators will present their final report on the causes of the fatal December 2007 explosion at T2 Laboratories Inc., a local chemical manufacturer.

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Statement from CSB Chairman John Bresland on Bayer CropScience Announcement Concerning Methyl Isocyanate

Aug 26, 2009

Washington, DC, August 26, 2009 - The CSB is continuing to investigate the serious explosion that occurred one year ago at the Bayer CropScience (Bayer) pesticide manufacturing site in Institute, West Virginia. We have completed the collection of most of the evidence on the causes of the explosion itself. Consistent with a May 2009 request from Congress, our investigation is currently examining options for Bayer to reduce or eliminate the use and storage of highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) at the Institute site.

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CSB Investigative Team to Examine Hydrogen Fluoride Release from ExxonMobil Refinery in Illinois

Aug 07, 2009

Washington DC, August 7, 2009 – A four-member investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is deploying to the site of a release of propane and hydrogen fluoride at the ExxonMobil refinery in Joliet, Illinois. At approximately 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, there was a sudden release of propane and hydrogen fluoride (HF) from the vicinity of a pump in the refinery’s alkylation unit, which uses HF as a catalyst. The leak did not ignite, but one operator was transported to the hospital suffering from what were described as serious, HF-related chemical burns; he was initially reported in critical condition. A second operator was examined at the hospital and released. The unit’s water deluge system, which is designed to contain airborne HF releases, was activated and the alkylation unit was shut down. Refinery personnel were instructed to shelter in place.

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CSB Deploys to Fire at CITGO Refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas

Jul 20, 2009

A four-member investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is en route to the site of a fire that began Sunday morning in the hydrogen fluoride (HF) alkylation unit at the CITGO refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas. One worker was airlifted to a burn center in San Antonio as a result of the accident at the 163,000 barrel per day refinery. The alkylation unit was reported to be shut down.​

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CSB Deploys to Fire at CITGO Refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas

Jul 20, 2009

Washington DC, July 20, 2009 – A four-member investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is en route to the site of a fire that began Sunday morning in the hydrogen fluoride (HF) alkylation unit at the CITGO refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas.

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CSB Investigative Team to Examine Fatal Ammonia Release near Columbia, South Carolina

Jul 15, 2009

Washington, DC, July 15, 2009 – The U.S. Chemical Safety Board is deploying an investigation team to the site of an anhydrous ammonia release that occurred earlier today at Tanner Industries, located south of Swansea, South Carolina, the agency announced.

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Statement of CSB Chairman John Bresland and CSB Investigation Supervisor Don Holmstrom on ConAgra Explosion

Jun 18, 2009

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