Chemical tanks explode at design factory in Maldon

Fire crews were faced with very explosive materials inside the factory
Two chemical tanks have exploded during a blaze at a design manufacturing plant in Essex.

Six fire crews were called to the Sil-Die factory in Fullbridge, Maldon, at 1245 GMT.

Two phosphorus tanks have exploded and crews have been hampered by a number of potentially explosive chemicals.

The fire service said the two-storey property has been "totally destroyed" and a heavy plume of smoke can be seen over the town.

'Huge bang'
An Essex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "First one tank exploded and then that made the second tank explode.

"There was a huge bang and the explosion created a bright white flash with pieces of phosphorus flying out everywhere.

"Crews are battling hard at this incident but the chemicals involved are creating problems. Parts of the building have already collapsed.

"A specialist chemical officer has been ordered to the scene as the basement is thought to contain magnesium developer and acetone fixer."

Roads in the area have been closed. An emergency refuge has been set up by the local authority to provide shelter for those unable to return to their homes.

'Roof collapsed'
At 1645 GMT Assistant Divisional Officer Nigel Dilley said the fire was coming under control but that crews expected to remain on the scene for some time.

He said: "The factory itself has been totally destroyed - the roof has collapsed, some of the walls are still standing but there was nothing crews could do to save it.

"The early call from the owner and the information he gave regarding the chemicals and their potential reaction to first crews at the scene averted a much more serious incident.

"We have a fire investigation officer involved in the incident although at this stage we are not treating it as deliberate."

Sil-die is a foiling and embossing manufacturer which produces artwork and design services.

UPDATE> Chemical plant burns in Mont Belvieu

Exxon Mobil Corp's (XOM.N) Baytown, Texas, petrochemical complex has sustained only minimal impact from Tuesday's fire at the nearby Enterprise Products Partners (EPD.N) Mont Belvieu, Texas, natural gas liquids and petrochemical complex, a spokesman said.

"Our Baytown Complex - which includes both refinery and the various chemical facilities - is operational and all units are running with minimal impacts," said Exxon spokesman Kevin Allexon. "We continue to closely monitor and assess the situation."

Exxon's Baytown refinery is the largest in the United States at 560,640 barrels per day (bpd). Adjoining the refinery are a chemical plant and an olefins plant.

The Enterprise Products Mont Belvieu complex includes plants for processing natural gas liquids into chemicals, some which increase octane in gasoline.

A massive fire broke out early on Tuesday afternoon at a natural gas liquids storage area of the complex. Main production facilities were not affected by the blast, an Enterprise spokesman said on Tuesday.

One worker remained unaccounted for following the fire. There were no injuries reported due to the blast and ensuing fire, which was visible in Houston, 35 miles (56 min) west.

Rick Rainey, public relations director for Enterprise Products, said there are normally eight to 10 workers in the facility located 35 miles east of Houston. All the workers got out safely, he said.

"As of right now our main concern is to make sure that we get this thing contained," Rainey said.
Hours after the explosion, the plant, which processes and stores liquids that are separated from natural gas, continues to burn. Nothing that is burning is toxic, Rainey said.
Pipelines to the plant were shut down so no new flows come into the facility. But the liquids in the pipe are continuing to burn.

Rainey said the pipelines weren’t near capacity so the fire won’t burn as long as it might have at full capacity.

There are no plans to try to extinguish the fire. Instead, the plan is to focus on letting it burn and cooling the area around it.

One nearby school has been evacuated. The main area of the plant where most of the equipment was located has not been affected by the explosion and blaze.

The facility in Chambers County is a natural gas fractionation facility, where natural gas liquids are separated into different components before being put into storage or injected into pipelines. It has a capacity of about 305,000 barrels of natural gas liquids per day. Recently, it has become an important hub to oil and gas producers in South Texas’ Eagle Ford shale formation, where large quantities of natural gas liquids are being extracted and processed for usage by Gulf Coast petrochemical plants and other customers.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said the plant had recorded no major permit violations over the past five years.

A preliminary search of Occupational Safety and Health Administration data does not find any incidents reported on this Enterprise facility. In June 2005 a worker was killed at an Enterprise facility in Mirando City in South Texas near Nuevo Laredo when there was an unexpected release of pressurized flammable material from a production compressor.

Houston-based Enterprise is one of the country's largest shippers and processors of natural gas in, including 49,100 miles of onshore and offshore pipelines.

Texas chemical plant ablaze - Enterprise Products

Fire follows explosion; 3 workers unaccounted for...

MONT BELVIEU, Texas — An explosion and fire ripped through a Houston-area chemical plant, leaving thee people unaccounted for Tuesday afternoon, officials said.
Explosions were heard about 12:15 p.m. at Enterprise Products on Sun Oil Road in Mont Belvieu, about 35 miles east of Houston, NBC station KPRC reported.
Bright orange flames consumed a large part of the plant that produces octane-boosting gasoline additives. Thick black smoke filled the air as TV images showed flame-engulfed vehicles parked adjacent to the plant.
Mont Belvieu Mayor Nick Dixon told msnbc cable TV that flames could be seen for 7 miles.
Three people were unaccounted for at the plant, where 600 to 700 work, Dixon said.
The flames were not near homes, he said.
No evacuations or shelters were ordered, KPRC said.
Nearby streets were closed.

Houston-based Enterprise is one of the country's largest shippers and processors of natural gas in, including 49,100 miles of onshore and offshore pipelines.

Developing story, details to follow

Ohio gas line pressure leads to explosion, fires

An evacuation had been ordered in the town, but residents were instead later directed to turn off gas lines and stay inside



FAIRPORT HARBOR, Ohio — Authorities say built-up pressure in natural gas lines led to a house explosion and then a series of fires in a northern Ohio community.

Deputy Chief Tom Talcott of the Mentor fire department says a dozen or more fires were reported early Monday in Fairport Harbor, northeast of Cleveland along Lake Erie. He says only two were still burning by late morning.

An evacuation had been ordered in the town, but when the situation stabilized, residents instead were directed to turn off gas lines and stay inside. Talcott says nearly the whole village was affected, but he didn't have an estimate of how many residents had evacuated their homes.

Mayor Frank Sarosy says there were no immediate reports of injuries.

FL DOT awards $2.19 million contract to repair bridge damaged Friday in fatal tanker crash.

Eastbound Beachline Reopens After Tanker Explosion @ Yahoo! Video

Construction to repair a BeachLine Expressway overpass damaged by a deadly tanker fire will cause headaches for motorists traveling between the Space Coast and downtown Orlando for nearly a month, officials said.

The Florida Department of Transportation awarded a construction contract todayto repair the bridge at North Courtenay Parkway in Merritt Island in 25 days.

FDOT spokesman Steve Olson said that Lane Construction beat two other bidders to win a $2.19 million contract for replacing both spans of an overpass along the BeachLine. The company pledged to have the thoroughfare ready for traffic in less than a month.

Construction began today on the charred roadway, where two drivers were killed Friday afternoon in an explosive crash involving a gas tanker and a pickup. Crews working on the round-the-clock project have to demolish and rebuild two support beams that were damaged, said FDOT engineer Frank O'Dea.

OSHA Fines Companies $229,390 after Explosion at PA Oil Well Kills Two Workers

After an investigation into an explosion at a Pennsylvania well site that killed two workers, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued fines totaling $229,390 to two companies involved in the incident.

Huntley & Huntley Inc., of Monroeville, PA, contracted with Northeast Energy Management Inc., of Indiana, PA, to fix a leaking barrel tank at the Murry Heirs #6 well site in Cheswick, PA. As two Northeast Energy Management workers welded the tank on July 23 of 2010, the heat from the welding ignited oil vapors and caused the tank to explode, killing both workers.

The Washington Post reports that the explosion sent the tank flying over 100 foot tall trees, landing more than 200 feet away, and caused a nearby gas well to catch fire and burn for hours before a special crew could be brought from Texas to fight the fire. The newspaper identifies the two welders as 56-year-old Andy Yosurak Jr., of Creekside, and 46-year-old Kevin Henry, of New Florence.

OSHA investigators found that Northeast Energy Management Inc. failed to ensure the safety of its workers by verifying the tank the workers were welding had been thoroughly cleaned and free of flammable materials, which might produce a flammable or toxic vapor when subjected to heat, and to check if flammable/combustible or other hazardous materials were present. The agency issued the company two willful violations for these failures.

OSHA issues a “willful violation” when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Northeast Energy Management Inc. also received serious violations for failing to outfit its welders with flame retardant clothing, failing to ensure that welders get approval from supervisors prior to welding and failing to train employees in safety procedures needed to protect themselves from hazardous chemicals.

OSHA issues a “serious citation” when there is substantial probability, that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

Huntley & Huntley Inc., owner of the well site and developer of more than 350 gas wells in western Pennsylvania, also received a willful violation by OSHA after they determined that the company failed to ensure that Northeast Energy Management Inc. trained welders and supervisors properly in regards to welding equipment and safety.

"These companies did not ensure that proper welding procedures were followed, resulting in this tragic loss of life," director of OSHA's Pittsburgh, PA office Robert Szymanski said in an OSHA release. "OSHA remains committed to holding employers legally responsible when they fail to adhere to federal law and compromise the safety of workers."

OSHA assessed penalties to Northeast Energy Management Inc. of $159,390 and Huntley & Huntley Inc. of $70,000. The companies have 15 days to comply or request a hearing.