News Releases

CSB Investigation of BP America Texas City Tragedy Continues as Investigators Prepare to Enter Blast Site; Investigators Focusing on "Raffinate Splitter" within Refinery Isomerization Unit

Mar 26, 2005

Texas City, Texas, March 26, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) continued its investigation today of the March 23 tragedy at the BP America Texas City refinery, as investigators prepared to enter the explosion site for the first time. Entry is expected as early as Monday when appropriate air monitoring equipment is in place.

CSB Investigative Team Headed to BP America Explosion Site in Texas City

Mar 23, 2005

Washington, DC, March 23, 2005 - Investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) are en route to Texas City, Texas, site of a reported explosion and fire earlier this afternoon. Texas City is near Galveston, approximately 40 miles southeast of Houston.

Board Pursues Testing of Equipment Involved in Dec. 3 Marcus Oil and Chemical Accident

Mar 04, 2005

Washington, DC, March 4, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is conducting extensive physical testing of equipment and materials to help determine the causes of the December 3, 2004, tank explosion and fire at the Marcus Oil and Chemical facility in southwest Houston.

March 2 Baton Rouge Public Meeting on Honeywell Investigation Postponed

Feb 23, 2005

Washington, DC, February 23, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has temporarily postponed its public meeting on the investigation of three chemical incidents at the Honeywell refrigerant plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The meeting, which had been scheduled for Wednesday, March 2, at the Holiday Inn Select in Baton Rouge, will be rescheduled after new information has been reviewed. The new meeting time and location will be announced in the Federal Register and posted on the agency website, CSB.gov.

Chemical Safety Board Investigation Finds CTA Acoustics Explosion Caused by Dust Hazard That Was Known to Management, Phenolic Resin Supplier

Feb 15, 2005

London, KY, February 15, 2005, 9 p.m. EST - By a vote of 3-0, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) tonight approved the final report on the phenolic resin dust explosion at CTA Acoustics. In approving the staff report, the Board added a root cause related to Borden Chemical's product stewardship program (Borden Chemical supplied phenolic resin powder to CTA). The report identified four other root causes related to CTA's safety systems and the design of the CTA facility by former owner CertainTeed. The full report, as amended, will be available soon from CSB.gov, along with a transcript and videotape of the public meeting.

Board to Release Final Report and Safety Recommendations from 2003 CTA Acoustics Dust Explosion at Feb. 15 Public Meeting in London, Kentucky

Jan 28, 2005

Washington, DC, January 28, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has announced a public meeting in London, Kentucky, on Tuesday, February 15, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. at the London Community Center. At the meeting, the Board will review and consider the final CSB staff report on the fatal dust explosion at CTA Acoustics in Corbin, Kentucky.

Board Commends Texas Companies for Implementing CSB Safety Recommendations in Jan. 13, 2003, BLSR Operating Ltd. Fire

Jan 12, 2005

Washington, DC, January 12, 2005 - Members of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) have unanimously declared that the actions taken by the three companies involved in the fatal BLSR Operating Ltd. accident in Texas are "acceptable." All the recommendations are now "closed" and require no further follow-up by the CSB. The agency found that one company, T&L Environmental Services, exceeded the agency's recommended action. The decision was announced on the second anniversary of the January 13, 2003 accident that killed three workers.

Board to Conduct Full Investigation of Tank Explosion at Marcus Oil and Chemical

Dec 10, 2004

Washington, DC, December 10, 2004 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) announced today that it is conducting a full investigation of last week's tank explosion at the Marcus Oil and Chemical facility in southwest Houston. The blast on the evening of December 3 was felt up to 20 miles from the plant site. CSB investigators believe the accident occurred when a 40,000-gallon chemical storage tank exploded violently. The tank was approximately 10% full at the time of the

CSB Team Heading to Houston Explosion Site

Dec 03, 2004

Washington, DC, December 3, 2004 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) announced it is a sending an investigative team to the site of this evening's explosions at a southwest Houston chemical plant. The initial explosion at the Marcus Oil and Chemical facility was reported around 6 p.m. local time.

CSB Issues Preliminary Findings in Toxic Gas Release at MFG Chemical: Cites Lack of Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Problems

Nov 16, 2004

Dalton, Georgia, November 16, 2004 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today released preliminary findings on the April 2004 toxic gas release from MFG Chemical Inc. in Dalton, which forced the evacuation of more than 100 families and businesses. The findings were to be presented at a CSB community meeting in Dalton this evening.

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