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May 13, 2008 11:45 am US/Eastern
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Feds: Danvers Explosion Could Have Been Prevented
DANVERS (WBZ) ―
An independent federal agency says the massive explosion at a Danvers chemical plant in November 2006 could have been prevented.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released
its final report on the disaster Tuesday. It will brief residents at a public meeting at the Sheraton Ferncroft Resort at 6:30 p.m.
Twenty people were hurt in the blast at the CAI-Arnel ink and paint manufacturing facility. There were no deaths.
The explosion damaged or destroyed 270 homes and buildings. The cause was traced to a buildup of combustible gases that ignited.
The federal report concluded that CAI didn't have any safeguards such as alarms and automatic shutoffs that would have prevented a 10,000-pound mixture of flammable solvents from overheating in an ink-mixing tank overnight.
"Steam heat to the mixing tank was most likely inadvertently left on by an operator before he left for the day. As the temperature increased, vapor escaped from the mixing tank, built up in the unventilated building, ignited, and exploded," the agency said on its
Web site.
Watch: Video Explainer Of What Happened"The community damage was the worst we have seen in the ten-year history of the Chemical Safety Board," CSB Board Member William Wright said in a statement.
A state fire marshal's report released in March found the plant was storing twice the amount of combustible substances it was permitted to keep.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board does not issue citations or fines. It makes safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations and agencies.
The report calls for changes to national fire codes and to licensing and inspection procedures in Massachusetts to improve the safety and oversight of facilities handling hazardous materials.
"I am pleased that two independent investigations agree on the cause of the explosion and fire, the need for legislation and further regulations on chemical process safety, and the importance of increased inspection and enforcement to protect the public and the regulated community. We look forward to continuing the exchange of ideas and guidance from the CSB," State Fire Marshall Steven Coan said in a statement.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)