News Releases

CSB Investigation Finds Inadequate Fire Detection and Protection Systems Led to May 1st Disaster at Houston Area Third Coast Plant

Mar 06, 2003

(Houston, TX - March 6, 2003) Better fire protection systems could have suppressed the huge fire that swept through the Third Coast Industries facility south of the city last year, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has found in a report to be considered for approval at a CSB public meeting Thursday in Houston.

CSB Investigation Team To Return To Corbin (KY) Explosion Site Next Week

Feb 28, 2003

(Washington, DC - Feb. 28, 2003) Investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) today completed their first week's work at CTA Acoustics in Corbin, KY, where an explosion last Thursday caused four fatal injuries and left a number of workers with severe burns. The investigative team will return to the Corbin site next week.

CSB Investigation Team Enters Explosion Site In Corbin, Kentucky

Feb 22, 2003

(Washington, DC - Feb. 22, 2003) Experts from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) today entered the site of yesterday's explosion at CTA Acoustics near Corbin, Kentucky, beginning what is expected to be a lengthy investigation into the cause of the devastating blast that seriously burned more than 10 workers.

CSB Deploys Investigation Team To Site Of Explosion In Corbin, Kentucky

Feb 20, 2003

(Washington, DC - Feb. 20, 2003) The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has dispatched a preliminary investigative team to the site of this morning's explosion at the CTA Acoustics plant in Corbin, KY.

CSB Team Heading to Site of Rhode Island Chemical Incident

Feb 07, 2003

(Washington, DC - February 7, 2003) The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has dispatched an investigative team to the site of this morning's reported chemical explosion at Technic Inc. in Cranston, Rhode Island, south of Providence. CSB Board Member Dr. Isadore (Irv) Rosenthal will be accompanying the team, which will be headed by lead investigator Randy McClure. Preliminary reports indicate that a number of injuries occurred and that cyanide, acid, and other materials may have been present. The CSB team will immediately begin examining the nature of the accident.

CSB Team Finds Several Possible Sources of Explosive Dust at Destroyed N.C. Medical Plant

Feb 03, 2003

(Kinston, NC - February 3, 2003, 4 p.m. Eastern) Investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) now say they have identified several potential sources of explosive dust from rubber processing operations at West Pharmaceuticals and are looking into what ignited a massive explosion on the lower level of the rubber compounding area at the plant.

CSB Team Focuses on Rubber Blending Area in North Carolina Explosion

Jan 30, 2003

(Kinston, NC - January 30, 2003, 7 p.m. Eastern) Following leads from more than one hundred witness interviews by federal investigators, experts from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board believe that Wednesday's deadly explosion at West Pharmaceuticals in Kinston, North Carolina, originated in an area of the plant where synthetic rubber compounds were processed and dried.

CSB Investigators Examining Source of Flammable Vapor Cloud in Fatal Houston Area Truck Fire

Jan 16, 2003

(Houston, TX - January 16, 2003) Investigators with the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, accompanied by Board Chairman Carolyn W. Merritt, continue their investigation into the cause of a deadly flash fire at an oilfield waste recovery facility south of Houston, which killed two workers and injured three others on Monday, January 13, 2003.

CSB Team Heads to Houston Area Accident Scene

Jan 14, 2003

(Washington, DC - January 14, 2003) A CSB investigative team is en route to the site of Monday's explosion in Brazoria County, TX, south of Houston that killed two workers and injured five others. The accident at BLSR Operating apparently involved two stationary vacuum tank trucks carrying petroleum wastes. CSB Chairman Carolyn W. Merritt is accompanying the team, which is headed by CSB Investigator John Vorderbrueggen. The team will assess whether to conduct a full CSB investigation of the incident, which would lead to a determination of causes and issuance of safety recommendations.

Board Members To Brief Mississippi Community on First Chemical Plant Explosion

Jan 10, 2003

(Washington, DC - January 10, 2003) Members of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board will conduct a community meeting 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 15, at Pascagoula (Miss.) City Hall to brief officials and the public on the explosion and fire at the nearby First Chemical plant that occurred last October 13.

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