The United States has experienced a number of deadly industrial accidents this century
Officials said that multiple people died in an explosion at a military explosives facility in Tennessee on Friday. They also reported the absence of 19 other people.
Here are some of the most notable industrial explosions that have occurred in the United States during this century.
BP TEXAS CITY REFINERY (2005
An explosion on the 23rd of March 2005 at a BP Refinery in Texas City in Texas City left 15 workers dead and 180 others injured. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board reported that a series of explosions took place during the restarting a hydrocarbon-isomerization unit. The report stated that the explosions happened when a distillation unit was flooded with hydrocarbons, and then over-pressurized. This caused a geyser like release from the vent.
IMPERIAL SUGAR RIFERY, 2008
A combustible dust explosion at Imperial Sugar's Port Wentworth facility, Georgia, killed 14 and injured 36 people on February 7, 2008, when combustible dust was used. According to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, eight workers died on the scene, six died in hospital and 36 were treated for burns and serious injuries.
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, 2010.
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill began when an explosion occurred on the drilling rig, 49 miles (79 kilometers) off the coast of Louisiana. Eleven workers were killed and 4.9 million barrels of crude oil were dumped into the Gulf of Mexico in 87 days. The Macondo blowout was traced by a national commission, appointed by the then-President Barack Obama, to BP, Halliburton and Transocean's mistakes, which revealed a systematic failure in risk management.
WEST FERTILIZER CO., 2013
On April 17, 2013, a fire and explosion caused by the West Fertilizer Company, located in West, Texas, resulted in 14 deaths and hundreds of injuries. According to a U.S. Chemical Safety Board report, the explosion was caused by an intense fire that started in a wooden building and led to the detonation 30 tons of ammonium-nitrate in wooden bins.
DUPONT LA FACILITY 2014
A report from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board states that four workers died and a fifth suffered injuries in a November 15, 2014 accident at DuPont’s La Porte facility, Texas. The toxic chemical methyl mercaptan was used to manufacture the insecticides and fungicides for the company.
DIDION MILLING PLANT, 2017
An explosion occurred at Didion Milling's dry corn milling facility in Cambria (Wisconsin) on May 31, 2017, resulting in five deaths and 14 injuries. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board determined that the explosions were caused by the ignition inside the process equipment of combustible dust from corn.
R.M. R.M.
An explosion at R.M. Palmer Company, a candy manufacturer in West Reading (Pennsylvania), on March 24, 2023. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board found in a report that natural gas, which was transported by pipeline, leaked and accumulated at the basement of the building. The gas ignited and caused the explosion.
(source: Reuters)