NEWS OF THE WEEK
CHARLESTON EXPLOSION: Six die at phosphorus chemicals plant An explosion and fire at an Albright & Wilson Americas p h o s p h o r u s chemicals plant in Charleston, S.C., on the morning of June 17 have left six dead and 33 injured. The damaged unit, which lost part of its walls and roof, has been shut down indefinitely. The eight other units on the 200employee site, on the north border of Charleston, sustained only minor or no damage, but are not expected to resume operation for a few days. A company spokesman says tests of air, ground, and water samples immediately following the explosion showed no release of hazardous substances. Based in Richmond, Va., Albright & Wilson Americas is a subsidiary of Tenneco of Houston. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, says plant manager Grey Jennings. But at the time, plant workers were mixing chemicals in the No. 2 reactor in the special products unit. A fire resulting from the explosion was brought under control within minutes. Of the six people killed, five were contract employees not directly involved with the reactor, but who were in the vicinity to install insulation. Four others critically injured also work for the same contractor. Ironically, the reactor was used to produce Antiblaze 19, a flame retardant used in textiles and polyurethane foam. Antiblaze 19 is a cyclic phosphonate ester produced from a mixture of trimethyl phosphite, dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), and trimethyl phosphate (TMOP). The final product is not considered flammable, but trimethyl phosphite is moisture-sensitive and flammable, with a flash point of about 27 °C. DMMP, although an irritant, is relatively more stable, as is TMOP. The plant was just coming back on-line after being closed the previ4
June 24, 1991 C&EN
Blast at South Carolina plant blew out building's sides and part of its roof ous week. The closure was part of a routine " t u r n a r o u n d " procedure scheduled every 12 to 18 months, in w h i c h t h e p l a n t is closed a n d drained to allow inspection and needed upgrading, maintenance, or repairs, says Terry Martin, the firm's employee relations manager. Only minor mechanical work was conducted on the reactor that blew up, he adds. Any connection between that and the explosion of the unit is uncertain, but not suspected. The plant has been operated safely for many years, according to Albright & Wilson, which has owned it since 1985. In 1983, when it was owned by Mobil Chemical, an explosion and fire caused by a chemical leak resulted in 17 injuries and no deaths. A phosphorus trichloride leak occurred last August, with about two dozen people treated for eye and lung irritation. The Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers International Union cannot comment on the plant because it does not represent its employees. Albright & Wilson says it is too
early to assess the amount of damage or the impact on supplies. It believes it has adequate insurance to cover damage and loss of business. In addition to an information hotline, it has set up six teams to investigate the cause of the explosion, work with regulatory authorities, assess damage, study the environmental impact, measure effects on longand short-term supply situations, and handle human relations issues. The South Carolina Department of Labor, which directs the state's occupational health and safety programs, has investigators on site. However, the state agency played no role in the recent shutdown and maintenance of the plant. A department spokesman says some safety violations were identified during previous plant inspections, but that "nothing out of the ordinary" was found, nor were there any problems that could be related to the accident. It is expected to take the department at least two months to prepare its report on the explosion. Ann Thayer
