The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said Thursday that the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas was poorly prepared to defend itself from explosions at the facility that resulted from Hurricane Harvey flooding last August.
The safety board released its final report of the Aug. 31 chemical plant explosion, warning that chemical facilities must better prepare for the “greater likelihood” of extreme weather events as hurricane season approaches.
“Our investigation found that there is a significant lack of guidance in planning for flooding or other severe weather events,” said Vanessa Allen Sutherland, chairwoman of the Chemical Safety Board. “Based on other government reports, we know that there is a greater likelihood of more severe weather across the country. As we prepare for this year’s hurricane season, it is critical that industry better understand the safety hazards posed by extreme weather events.”
Arkema is a multinational company based in France.
The Arkema chemical plant manufactures and distributes organic peroxides used to produce consumer goods such as surface countertops and polystyrene cups and plates.
In the days leading up to the fire at Arkema, the board said heavy rain caused equipment to flood and fail. As a result, chemicals stored at the plant decomposed and burned, releasing fumes and smoke into the air.
Containers of organic peroxides, which are combustible if not kept refrigerated, burst into flames at the Arkema facility after power outages caused by Hurricane Harvey shut off cooling systems that kept the chemicals stable.
Workers at the Arkema facility moved the organic peroxides from low temperature warehouses to refrigerated trailers. Three of those trailers, however, were flooded and failed, the board said.
With no refrigeration, there was nothing to stop the chemicals from heating up and catching fire.
All of Arkema’s employees evacuated the facility, and more than 200 residents living nearby left the area and could not return home for a week. Twenty-one people received medical attention from exposure to the fumes and smoke.
A group of first responders sued Arkema after the fire, claiming they suffered “serious bodily injuries” from exposure to the toxic chemicals. The plaintiffs were manning the perimeter of a 1.5-mile evacuation zone imposed two days before the explosions, and the lawsuit alleged that after the blasts happened, no one from Arkema told the first responders.
The Chemical Safety Board is an independent federal agency that investigates chemical accidents. The agency’s board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
In its final report, the safety board called for improved chemical industry guidance to help facilities better prepare for extreme weather events, such as flooding, so that similar incidents can be avoided.
The board said facilities should perform an analysis to determine susceptibility to potential extreme natural events.
To guard against flooding events, facilities should install independent layers of protection for equipment.
The Environmental Protection Agency in September opened an inquiry into whether the Arkema chemical plant followed federal safety rules to protect against hazards, following explosions at the facility from Hurricane Harvey.
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt authorized a request for information to Arkema under Section 114 of the Clean Air Act about whether the company complied with a risk management plan filed with the federal government.
Depending on the information obtained by the EPA, the agency can issue administrative, civil or criminal action against Arkema. The status of that inquiry is unclear.
