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| Local News |
This story pubished online:
Saturday, May 1, 2004 12:00 AM CDT |
Investigators await OK to enter blast
area at Formosa Plastics plant
By AMY HOAK - H&R Staff Writer
ILLIOPOLIS - Federal investigators plan to
examine whether a safety system was functioning properly at the Formosa
Plastics Corp. plant April 23, when an explosion at the site left four
workers dead.
"At a recent public meeting in Illiopolis, questions were raised
about the operability of the unit's water deluge system, which is de;signed
to flood the area with water as soon as a vinyl chloride release is
detected," Stephen Wallace, lead investigator, said in a news
release issued Friday. "We are aware of these reports, and one of
our first priorities when we gain access to the site will be to confirm
whether the system actually came on as intended on the night of April
23."
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board is continuing
field work on the accident and plans to enter the area of the explosion
next week, when structural safety issues are resolved, the release said.
"We are examining several possible scenarios that could have led to
a large release of vinyl chloride in the facility's PVC-1 production
unit, just prior to the explosion," Wallace said. "The PVC-1
unit contains a number of reactors where highly flammable vinyl chloride
was converted into PVC plastic."
Investigators have completed about 25 witness interviews and have
requested records from the company. An outside fire engineering expert
will help them determine what caused the blast.
Formosa and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration also are
conducting investigations, said company spokesman Rob Thibault. OSHA
will determine when investigators can enter the area where the explosion
occurred.
"We and OSHA want to make sure that no
one is put at risk, given the structural damage. We want to make sure
it's safe to enter," Thibault said. "The investigation
continues while we're waiting to enter the building. We continue to
monitor the air, and the IEPA is conducting ongoing monitoring as
well."
Thibault said residents have no reason for concern while the air and
water monitoring continues.
Amy Hoak can be reached at ahoak@; herald-review.com or 421-7972.
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