CSB Investigates Explosion in Iowa
Investigators for the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) report that progress is being made in the investigation of a large explosion and fire that occurred at the Barton Solvents facility in Des Moines, IA, on October 29, 2007.
WASHINGTON - Investigators for the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) report that progress is being made in the investigation of a large explosion and fire that occurred at the Barton Solvents facility in Des Moines, IA, on October 29, 2007. The company packages, stores and delivers solvents and other chemical products, many of which are widely used in the paint and coatings industry.
Lead Investigator Randy McClure said the accident occurred when an as-yet-unidentified source ignited the ethyl acetate solvent being loaded into a 330-gallon square tank (tote). McClure said the operator who was filling the tote had turned away momentarily when he heard what was described as a popping sound that witnesses believe was a pressure relief device.
McClure said, “A fireball then erupted from the tote. Pressure from the eruption knocked the filling nozzle out of the tank, spraying ethyl acetate into the room and onto the operator. His clothing ignited, but he quickly removed the clothing and escaped serious injury. Another operator tried to use a hand-held extinguisher to battle the blaze, but it emptied before the fire could be extinguished. He then shut off all power to the area, and the plant was successfully evacuated. The flames spread quickly and eventually consumed and destroyed a large portion of the facility.”
McClure commented, “We will conduct tests to determine if the solvent could have produced enough static electricity to be the ignition source. We will also evaluate the design and maintenance of equipment in the area to determine its suitability for use in a flammable environment.”
The accident in Des Moines, where Barton Solvents is headquartered, follows an accident at Barton’s Wichita, KS, facility on July 17, 2007, which the CSB is also investigating. Explosions and fires erupted in the outdoor tank storage area of the Wichita facility, which contained approximately 40 tanks ranging in size from 3,000 to 20,000 gallons. That accident involved a solvent called VM&P naphtha, used in the paint and coatings industry. The CSB is evaluating whether static electricity at the Wichita facility might have ignited the solvent. It is also looking into tank design and spacing, and pressure relief systems.
Lead Investigator Randy McClure said the accident occurred when an as-yet-unidentified source ignited the ethyl acetate solvent being loaded into a 330-gallon square tank (tote). McClure said the operator who was filling the tote had turned away momentarily when he heard what was described as a popping sound that witnesses believe was a pressure relief device.
McClure said, “A fireball then erupted from the tote. Pressure from the eruption knocked the filling nozzle out of the tank, spraying ethyl acetate into the room and onto the operator. His clothing ignited, but he quickly removed the clothing and escaped serious injury. Another operator tried to use a hand-held extinguisher to battle the blaze, but it emptied before the fire could be extinguished. He then shut off all power to the area, and the plant was successfully evacuated. The flames spread quickly and eventually consumed and destroyed a large portion of the facility.”
McClure commented, “We will conduct tests to determine if the solvent could have produced enough static electricity to be the ignition source. We will also evaluate the design and maintenance of equipment in the area to determine its suitability for use in a flammable environment.”
The accident in Des Moines, where Barton Solvents is headquartered, follows an accident at Barton’s Wichita, KS, facility on July 17, 2007, which the CSB is also investigating. Explosions and fires erupted in the outdoor tank storage area of the Wichita facility, which contained approximately 40 tanks ranging in size from 3,000 to 20,000 gallons. That accident involved a solvent called VM&P naphtha, used in the paint and coatings industry. The CSB is evaluating whether static electricity at the Wichita facility might have ignited the solvent. It is also looking into tank design and spacing, and pressure relief systems.
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