Second Louisiana plant explosion kills one, injures seven
18 June 2013
One person was killed and seven others injured in a June 14 explosion at a fertiliser plant in Donaldsonville, located along the west bank of the Mississippi River in Louisiana. Local media said the explosion was caused by a nitrogen vessel blast at the CF Industries plant. Workers were reported to have over-pressured the nitrogen vessel, causing it to explode.
There was no fire at the scene and no chemical leakage was detected, local officials said.
The incident happened only one day after the explosion and fire at Williams Olefins in the town of Geismar nearby, which killed two workers and injured dozens of others.
Federal records show that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined CF Industries, one of the world's biggest nitrogen fertiliser producers, about $150,000 for safety and health violations after a fire and explosion killed three people at the Donaldsonville plant in 2000. It cited 12 violations posing "substantial probability" of serious injury or death.