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Entries for May 2002
Wednesday
May 29 |
Romulus, MI: A chemical explosion in the research laboratory of a metals plant injured several workers. Nitric acid and methyl alcohol were being used in combination at the time. More information |
Monday
May 27 |
Westhoughton, U.K.: Two workmen suppended on a cradle inside a 120-foot-tall metal chimney died when they were engulfed in a fireball after a massive explosion. More information |
Monday
May 27 |
Potterville, MI: A freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed and officials ordered the small town evacuated. More information |
Monday
May 27 |
West Kalimantan, Indonesia: An explosion on an oil rig injured six people. More information |
Sunday
May 26 |
Moonachie, N.J.: A fire at a coffee plant spread from an incinerator through the plants ductwork. More information |
Sunday
May 26 |
Tulare, CA: Methane gas sparked a 4-hour fire at a sewer plant that damaged a tank filled with 9 million gallons of industrial waste. More information |
Saturday
May 25 |
Corvallis, OR: Authorities closed area highways when gaseous fumes escaped from a electronics plant. More information |
Friday
May 24 |
Agra, India: Thirty people were killed in a fire that destroyed a shoe factory. More information |
Friday
May 24 |
Lima, Peru: At least 120 people complained of exposure after a nitric acid spill at a chemical plant. More information |
Wednesday
May 22 |
Nashville, TN: Fire broke out at a thermal plant that used garbage for fuel to heat 40 downtown buildings. More information |
Tuesday
May 21 |
Wollaston, U.K.: Workers were evacuated from a chemical plant when liquid styrene polymer suddenly reacted, releasing carbon dioxide. More information |
Tuesday
May 21 |
Welshpool, U.K.: A factory worker was hospitalized for smoke inhalation after a fire at a plastics factory. The fire broke out in the chimney of a gas-fire thermal processing machine. More information |
Tuesday
May 21 |
Mamou, LA: An environmental emergency was declared after three oil storage tanks erupted in flames, creating a moat of crude oil and salt water that threatened nearby homes. More information |
Tuesday
May 21 |
Jackson, TN: A reaction between sulphuric and nitric acid that blew the dome cap off a tanker truck forced the closure of a nearby interstate highway. More information |
Tuesday
May 21 |
Sydney, Australia: Two hundred workers were evacuated from a chewing gum factory after a chemical spill. More information |
Tuesday
May 21 |
Benicia, CA: A fire broke out at an asphalt refinery but was quickly extinguished. More information |
Monday
May 20 |
Hornby, New Zealand: Ten workers at a food storage facility were hospitalized after ammonia leaked from a refrigeration system. More information |
Monday
May 20 |
Cottage Grove, WI: A foul odor escaping from a chemical plant was enough to trigger a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding neighborhood. More information |
Sunday
May 19 |
Monaca, PA: A brief roof fire above a furnace at a glass plant was quickly extinguished. More information |
Sunday
May 19 |
Wellston, MO: About 100 portable toilets burned in a smoky blaze at a manufacturing plant. More information |
Saturday
May 18 |
Kentville, Nova Scotia: Five workers were hospitalized after anhydrous ammonia leaked during routine maintenance at a food processing plant. More information |
Friday
May 17 |
Portland, OR: A 32-foot-tall asphalt tank being heated exploded and burned. No injuries were reported. More information |
Friday
May 17 |
Hedrick, IA: A grain plant was immediately evacuated when fire broke out in a corn cob discard bin. More information |
Thursday
May 16 |
Vicksburg, MS: One worker was killed and 11 burned when an explosion destroyed a rubber recycling plant. Nearly 6,800 pounds of highly flammable rubber powder was kept on site. More information |
Wednesday
May 15 |
Woodbury, PA: Four power company workers were burned when a transformer exploded, causing a citywide blackout. More information |
Wednesday
May 15 |
Savage, MN: A 300-gallon-oil barrel exploded at a electric motor plant leaving one person with second-degree burns. More information |
Tuesday
May 14 |
Notre-Dame-Du-Lac, Quebec: Concern about ammonia forced the evacuation of 1,700 people when fire spread through a slaughterhouse. More than 2,600 pigs were killed. More information |
Tuesday
May 14 |
Ilha Grande, Brazil: Authorities imposed an $8 million fine after a 4,400 gallon oil spill fouled a popular beach. The oil spilled as a Nigerian ship was off loading. More information |
Tuesday
May 14 |
Columbia, MO: A fire involving nickel-plating machinery caused extensive damage at a chemical plant. More information |
Tuesday
May 14 |
Old Town, FL: A fire at a manufacturing plant left one person injured. More information |
Monday
May 13 |
Burgin, KY: Anhydrous ammonia leaking from refrigeration compressors ignited at a power plant, causing a small fire. More information |
Monday
May 13 |
Buffalo, N.Y.: A worker at a brass foundry was crushed to death by a machine. More information |
Monday
May 13 |
Claymont, DE: An oil refinery restared its open disposal burner after lightning put an acid waste recycling process out of commission at a nearby chemical plant. An estimated one ton an hour of sulphur dioxide was being emitted by the refinery flare. More information |
Monday
May 13 |
Blainville, Quebec: Explosions at a hazardous waste processing plant left six people injured. A truck was unloading hazardous materials when the blasts occurred. More information |
Monday
May 13 |
Deer Park, TX: Large plumes of black smoke rising from a chemical plant forced the closure of a nearby major highway. More information |
Monday
May 13 |
Chino, CA: Six workers were treated for smoke inhalation after a fire at a spa factory. More information |
Monday
May 13 |
Jackson, OH: A burst hydraulic line sparked a fire at an automotive system plant. The building sprinklers controlled most of the fire. More information |
Sunday
May 12 |
Arlington, WA: An ammonia leak at a food processing plant resulted in an area evacuation of nearly 1,500 people. Police suspect an attempt to steal ammonia resulted in the leak. More information |
Sunday
May 12 |
Dulac, LA: A mandatory evacuation was ordered after natural gas fumes were detected from a nearby well. More information |
Saturday
May 11 |
Tuas, Singapore: Fire destroyed a chemical waste treatment plant. Authorities voiced concern about contaminated water runoff. More information |
Friday
May 10 |
Newark, N.J.: A 4-alarm fire caused major damage outside a paper recycling plant. More information |
Thursday
May 09 |
Grand Rapids, MI: Hydrochloric acid leaking from a railcar forced authorities to close a major highway and ask area residents to shelter-in-place. More information |
Thursday
May 09 |
Decatur, IL: A three-alarm fire in a warehouse at an ethanol plant produced heavy smoke. More information |
Wednesday
May 08 |
Gardner, MA: A tanker truck explosion at an asphalt plant left one worker burned. A heater was being used to liquefy asphalt inside the tanker at the time of the blast. More information |
Wednesday
May 08 |
Claymont, DE: A dense cloud of sulfur trioxide and acid mists blanketed the area surrounding a chemical plant. No injuries were reported. More information |
Wednesday
May 08 |
Fort Worth, TX: Firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze that destroyed a plastics plant. More information |
Tuesday
May 07 |
Falls Township, WY: A tanker truck overtuned on a bridge, spilling more than 6,300 of fuel oil into the Susquehanna River. More information |
Tuesday
May 07 |
La Plata County, CO: A worker was seriously injured when a valve from a gas well blew off and struck him. More information |
Tuesday
May 07 |
White Springs, FL: One man was killed and another seriously injured in an explosion at a chemical plant. More information |
Monday
May 06 |
Pulau Bukom, Malaysia: A ship that lost power crashed into a wharf at an oil refinery, collapsing the wharf gantry and deck and rupturing a pipeline. More information |
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