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Entries for March 2003
Sunday
Mar 30 |
Cataguazes, Brazil - A reservoir used to store chemical residues at the site of a defunct paper and pulp company burst, dumping large amounts of caustic soda into 2 rivers. More information |
Sunday
Mar 30 |
Daya Bay, China - One person was killed and 3 others injured in an explosion while oil was being pumped out of a tanker by another tanker. Fire broke out on both ships. More information |
Friday
Mar 28 |
Porbandar, Rajkot, India - About 42 people were hospitalized following an anhydrous ammonia leak at an ice factory. More information |
Thursday
Mar 27 |
Billy-Berclau, France> - Four people were killed in an explosion at an explosives plant. Authorities said the explosion appeared to be an accident and occurred in an area where 2 employees were filling dynamite cartridges. More information |
Tuesday
Mar 25 |
Orangeburg, SC - A blast at a pharmaceutical plant was felt several miles away but resulted in no serious injuries and no chemical release. The plant manager said the blast occurred from an unexpected pressure increase in a glass-lined vessel. He said the pressure relief was not adequate, causing the explosion. More information |
Tuesday
Mar 25 |
Salt Lake City, UT - Two workers were burned in a flash fire at a copper smelter plant while repairing ducts. A spokesman said the grinder they used for repair hit oxygen in the ducting causing the explosion. More information |
Saturday
Mar 22 |
Leghorn, Italy - An explosion aboard a tanker carrying methanol injured 9 people. Authorities said the explosion was set off when the ship bumped up against the dock while being towed after a small fire broke out. More information |
Friday
Mar 21 |
Elk Grove Village, IL - Several people were treated for ammonia or chlorine inhalation following a chemical spill at a factory that manufactures circuit boards. More information |
Thursday
Mar 20 |
Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia - Oil and gas leaks occurred at gas platforms in the South China Sea. An initial finding indicated that the source was a pipeline leak. More information |
Wednesday
Mar 19 |
Rotterdam, Netherlands - A Norwegian chemical tanker spilled crude benzene after a leak during loading from a ship to shore tank. The leak was contained in an area around the rank and covered with foam. More information |
Tuesday
Mar 18 |
Hamilton, New Zealand - An emergency clean-up was declared when a large amount of potentially dangerous chemicals were found at the back of an old factory. The chemicals, sodium cyanide and chromic acid, were stored in drums, but the plastic containers had started to deteriorate and the toxic liquid was seeping into the ground. More information |
Monday
Mar 17 |
Aspropyrgos, Greece> - A worker was fatally burned after an explosion at an oil refinery changing room. More information |
Monday
Mar 17 |
Beavertown, PA - A fire broke out in a dust collection building of a wood factory but was quickly extinguished before it could spread to the main building. More information |
Monday
Mar 17 |
OFallon, IL - A dozen workers at a dairy facility were evacuated after an ammonia leak was discovered in equipment used to make ice cream. Officials said a malfunctioning valve caused the leak. More information |
Monday
Mar 17 |
New Zealand> - One man died and another was critically injured after being burned in a sub-station explosion so intense that it vaporized their clothing. The explosion is under investigation. More information |
Monday
Mar 17 |
Durban, South Africa - Seven workers were admitted to the hospital and nearly 2,000 were sent home after they were overcome by pesticide fumes used in the fumigation of a factory over the weekend. More information |
Sunday
Mar 16 |
Port Kembla, Australia - A steelworks after an overhead coal trolley was ignited by a gas flare. Only minor injuries were reported during the power outage which triggered an automatic burn-off of excess gas near a coking oven. More information |
Sunday
Mar 16 |
Singapore> - An explosion while disposing of live ammunition on a military range killed 2 demolition company employees and injured 3 others. More information |
Saturday
Mar 15 |
Blendon Township, MI - A fire ripped through a steel plant destroying the building and its contents after dust in a machine sparked flames. More information |
Saturday
Mar 15 |
Gloucestershire, UK - Fire broke out in a warehouse at a chemical factory that processes bitumen to make road surfaces. More information |
Saturday
Mar 15 |
West Deptford, NJ - A fire seriously damaged a chemical plant, sending four firefighters to the hospital. The fire was brought under control 6 hours later, but firefighters were forced to return when it rekindled. The cause of the blaze is under investigation. More information |
Friday
Mar 14 |
Swanton, OH - A fire at an auto parts company that may have started from fumes caused an estimated $200,000, officials said. Employees had been working on a fuel pump in the shop while another worker was welding when the fire broke out. More information |
Friday
Mar 14 |
Bethlehem Township, PA - An intense fire fueled by highly combustible rolls of carpet engulfed an attached warehouse of a flooring business. More information |
Friday
Mar 14 |
Newton, NJ - A truck loaded with propane exploded at an energy company sparking a massive fire and evacuation of about 100 residents. The cause of the explosion was not immediately known. More information |
Thursday
Mar 13 |
Elkhart, IN - An early morning fire did little damage to a factory by destroyed some of the products made there. Officials said the factorys sprinkler system contained the fire. More information |
Thursday
Mar 13 |
Philippines - Fire destroyed a 308 ton cargo ship. Fire department hoses could not reach the ship. Officials said the fire started in the ships engine room. There were no injuries. More information |
Wednesday
Mar 12 |
Yeochon, South Korea> - One person died after an explosion at a styrene tank. The tank was being cleaned when the explosion occurred. More information |
Tuesday
Mar 11 |
Rockford, IL - Firefighters battled a blaze at a chemical company for 9 hours after a fire started on a machine inside the east portion of the company. More information |
Tuesday
Mar 11 |
Aurora, NC - A sulfuric acid leak sent 9 workers to the hospital for treatment. Officials dont yet know what caused the leak. More information |
Monday
Mar 10 |
Burton, SC - Fire broke out at an artificial marble manufacturing plant. Chemicals made the fire hotter and the smoke more dangerous. 45 firefighter were hospitalized and all but 2 were treated and released. More information |
Monday
Mar 10 |
Nanhai, China> - Five people were killed and 23 injured when an explosion ripped through a chemical factory. The explosion left a pit 200 ft. in diameter and 13 feet deep. More information |
Monday
Mar 10 |
Merseyside, UK - A tank containing liquid carbon monoxide ruptured causing a major road to be closed. More information |
Sunday
Mar 09 |
Yonkers, NY - About 8,000 liters of dilute hydrochloric acid spilled at a sugar refinery. The acid spilled on the 10th floor of the plants processing building and leaked all the way to the 8th floor. The fire dept. and workers were able to contain the spill. More information |
Saturday
Mar 08 |
Jiangsu Province, China> - Six people were killed and two injured in an explosion at a four bleaching plant. The blast occurred in a workshop. More information |
Thursday
Mar 06 |
Wytheville, VA - A tractor-trailer carrying liquid ammonium nitrate, blasting caps and boosters crashed spilling part its load and causing the shutdown of the highway for ten hours. More information |
Wednesday
Mar 05 |
Suffolk, UK> - Two men died in a confined space accident when they became trapped inside the tank they were cleaning. More information |
Tuesday
Mar 04 |
Auckland, New Zealand - Several buildings were evacuated following a chemical spill when a container of nitric acid burst at a powder coating plant. More information |
Monday
Mar 03 |
Cohoes, NY - Official believe a failed temperature sensor allowed a solution used in a papermaking process to overheat causing a minor chlorine leak at a paper mill. There were no injuries. More information |
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