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Entries for February 2001
Wednesday
Feb 28 |
Seattle, WA: A major refined oil pipeline was shut down as a precautionary measure after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake. The pipeline connects four large refineries and the local airport. On Harbor Island, small spills from ruptured gasoline and diesel pipelines were reported. More information |
Wednesday
Feb 28 |
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia: A container of chlorine was accidentally punctured, causing the evacuation of three businesses at an industrial park. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 27 |
Mesa, AZ: An explosion at a auto airbag plant involving sodium azide residue injured three workers. The workers were using a blow torch in a room once used for storage of the volatile powder. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 27 |
Rathdrum Prairie, ID: Two freight trains derailed with two tank cars leaking almost 2,000 gallons of diesel. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 27 |
Cincinnati, OH: A release of mercaptan from a chemical plant resulted in a flood of calls to the local gas company to report natural gas leaks. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 27 |
Columbia, PA: A two-alarm fire broke out at a foundry in an area where scrap metal is compressed into metal ingots. More information |
Monday
Feb 26 |
Waukesha, WI: Nearly 16,000 gallons of home heating oil poured out of a tank through an open valve and into the Fox River. Vandalism is suspected. More information |
Monday
Feb 26 |
Windsor, Ontario: A fire in an air duct that spread to an air filter unit caused extensive damage to an auto plant. Five firefighters were treated and released. More information |
Sunday
Feb 25 |
Moody, AL: Evacuations were ordered when fire and explosions broke out at a urethane manufacturing plant. Firefighters were concerned about drums of mercury compounds stored on site. One police officer was treated for smoke inhalation. Residents were allowed to return 32 hours later. More information |
Sunday
Feb 25 |
Buena Vista,VA: Five fire companies battled an hour and a half to extinguish burning plastic pipes at a plant that builds drainage systems. More information |
Sunday
Feb 25 |
Valero, CA: A flash fire enveloped a hydrogen compressor at a refinery. More information |
Saturday
Feb 24 |
Dearborn, MI: A private contractor conducting a test on a steam turbine at a steel plant was killed when the turbine ruptured. Another person was injured. More information |
Friday
Feb 23 |
Fond du Loc, WI: Nearly 5,000 gallons of fuel leaked from a tank at an animal feed mill. More information |
Thursday
Feb 22 |
Akron, OH: A fire in a mixing vat led to an explosion that shook a polymers plant. Cold temperatures caused heavy vapors to collect rather than dissipate as employees attempted to extinguish the blaze. One worker was treated for minor injuries. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 20 |
Burgan Oil Field, Kuwait: Five workers were injured when a fire broke out at a pipeline terminal serving the world’s second largest oil field. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 20 |
Willoughby, OH: A recall of nearly 1,600 propane cylinders was announced after one exploded at a propane gas plant. The recall is to check whether the cylinders have been overfilled. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 20 |
Oregon, OH: A fire damaged the roof above the new boiler at a power plant. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 20 |
Union City, CA: A four-alarm fire destroyed a furniture manufacturing plant. More information |
Monday
Feb 19 |
Adams County, WA: A fire determined to be arson severely damaged an onion shipping warehouse. More information |
Sunday
Feb 18 |
Curitiba, Brazil: An oil pipeline rupture left a seven-mile long slick along the coastline. The government leveled a $75 million fine against the pipeline owners. More information |
Sunday
Feb 18 |
Labadie, MO: A hydrogen leak sparked a fire at a power plant, burning a 30-foot hole in the roof. Only one of the plant’s four turbines were shut down. More information |
Sunday
Feb 18 |
Leeds, AL: A slow-moving train derailed and struck a stationary train on the next track. Thirteen cars, including three tank cars containing ammonia nitrate, left the tracks. The resulting spill forced an area evacuation. More information |
Saturday
Feb 17 |
Sudbury, Ontario: Fire in a smelter furnace damaged a new copper anode refining unit. Copper output at the plant may diminish by one million pounds this year. More information |
Saturday
Feb 17 |
Toledo, OH: A chemical reaction in a 55-gallon drum caused a 100-foot-wide plume of beryllium-tainted smoke. The next day at the same plant a crack in a furnace allowed molten metal to drip on the plant floor, igniting the floor paint. More information |
Friday
Feb 16 |
Changsha, China: One worker was killed in an explosion aboard a tanker loaded with 495 tons of gasoline. The tanker was about to raise anchor when the blast occurred. More information |
Friday
Feb 16 |
Aonla, India: A train hauling 47 tank cars of diesel derailed and caught fire. Railroad and oil depot workers managed to save 12 cars and prevented flames from spreading to nearby industry. Three aboard the train were killed. More information |
Thursday
Feb 15 |
Camas, WA: More than 40 school children were treated by emergency personnel for nausea, breathing difficulties and headaches after unplanned releases of hydrogen sulphide and methyl mercaptan from a nearby paper mill. More information |
Thursday
Feb 15 |
Craiova, Romania: Ammonia from a chemical company on the Jiu River is being blamed for a massive fish kill. Authorities closed the plant and fired the management. More information |
Thursday
Feb 15 |
Cherryville, N.C.: Three teens were charged with arson in a fire that destroyed an 80-year-old yarn mill. Compressed bales of cotton fed the flames. More information |
Wednesday
Feb 14 |
Mount Jewett, PA: An explosion and fire at one of the nation’s largest particleboard manufacturing plants killed one worker and injured nine others. More information |
Wednesday
Feb 14 |
Conway, S.C.: Flames spread from the roof to the interior of a manufacturing plant. Firefighters battled the blaze for eight hours. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 13 |
Widnes, U.K.: Residents were ordered to stay indoors when a tanker containing sulphur caught fire. Firefighters battled the blaze for two hours. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 13 |
Corpus Christi, TX: An explosion and fire in a chemical plant unit processing xylene sent one worker to the hospital with burns. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 13 |
Philadelphia, PA: An electrical flash fire at a foundry left one employee in critical condition. More information |
Tuesday
Feb 13 |
Silver Grove, KY: A worker at a gypsum plant died after his arm became entangled in a machine. More information |
Monday
Feb 12 |
St. James, LA: Fire erupted at a chemical plant in a tower used to make styrene monomer. More information |
Monday
Feb 12 |
Palmer, MA: A five-alarm fire destroyed a 35,000-square-foot foundry specializing in aluminum casings for high tech instruments. One firefighter was injured. More information |
Monday
Feb 12 |
Lafayette, PA: An explosion in a sawdust silo started a fire that spread throughout a wood products plant. Three workers died and two others suffered burns. Firefighters fought the blaze for 36 hours. More information |
Monday
Feb 12 |
Brooksville, FL: A worker overcome by a runaway chemical reaction at a hazardous waste disposal site was rushed to the hospital by private car. Hospital personnel spent the next three hours trying to decontaminate the emergency room. At least 20 people were overcome. More information |
Saturday
Feb 10 |
Dunkerque, France: A tanker carrying 18,000 tons of heavy oil and 25,000 tons of light oil ran aground while attempting to enter port. No product was released. More information |
Saturday
Feb 10 |
Boone County, IN: An electrical fire spread throughout a plastics fabrication plant, destroying it. More information |
Friday
Feb 09 |
Burlington City, N.J.: A worker was seriously burned and left in a coma after an electrical flash fire at a pipe plant. More information |
Friday
Feb 09 |
Lubbock, TX: A repairman at a snack food plant died when he fell into a tank of unheated vegetable oil and drowned. He was repairing a float inside the tank. More information |
Thursday
Feb 08 |
Boston, MA: One worker was injured in an explosion and fire at a chemical plant specializing in pharmaceuticals. More information |
Thursday
Feb 08 |
Weedon Island, FL: More than 50,000 gallons of fuel spilled from a storage tank, but was captured by the surrounding dike before it could flow into Tampa Bay. More information |
Thursday
Feb 08 |
Toledo, OH: Leaking hydrogen gas ignited causing a fire at a power plant. More information |
Thursday
Feb 08 |
Rock Hill, N.C.: A worker suffered serious injuries when he was splashed by burning linseed oil during a fire at an ink plant. More information |
Thursday
Feb 08 |
Honolulu, HA: An unusually large flare due to an overpressure condition at a refinery touched off several small brush fire nearby. The refinery continued to operate. More information |
Thursday
Feb 08 |
Memphis, TN: A 50,000 gallon tank of dicyclopentadiene at a chemical plant caught fire, an explosion blowing the tank roof off. More information |
Wednesday
Feb 07 |
Lexington County, S.C.: Environmental officials temporarily closed a chemical plant after a fire. More information |
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