Copyright20062023,Somerightsreserved. The victims' ages ranged from 18 to 50. Forty-four civil cases for damages stemming from the inferno were filed in Chatham County State Court before Judge Hermann Coolidge. [28] In 2009 OSHA began developing a federal standard for combustible dust. The CSB found that between 1980 and 2005, there had been 281 explosions involving combustible dust, resulting in 119 deaths and 718 injuries. Timeline:Imperial Sugar explosion, from 2008-2018, Gallery:A look back at the 2008 explosion at Imperial Sugar, Deep dive:Imperial Sugar tragedy repercussions continue 10 years later. The result was a powerful cascade of secondary dust explosions that fatally injured 14 workers and injured 36 others, many with life-threatening burns. The report said the company had not conducted evacuation drills for its employees and that the explosions and fires disabled most of the emergency lighting, making it difficult for workers to escape from the labyrinth of explosion-damaged buildings as the fires continued to spread. They were not immediately identified. Funerals begin for victims of sugar refinery explosion - The Hour Kenyatta has devoted the majority of the 15 years since this tragedy, years growing up without a mother, mentoring children in foster care who are also growing up without a parent. "All I know is, I heard a loud boom and everything came down," Hill said. During demolition, 2,800,000 pounds (1,300,000kg) of fire-hardened sugar were recovered from one silo, and another 500,000 pounds (230,000kg) from the second. Require periodic (e.g., annual) refresher training for all employees and contractors. July 25, 2008 Contact: Office of Communications Phone: 202-693-1999 Federal OSHA issues third largest fine in history following sugar refinery explosion SAVANNAH, Ga. August 16,. Chemical Safety Board investigators arrived at the Imperial Sugar Company refinery approximately 18 hours after the explosion and we have been here since. SAVANNAH, Ga. -- A vase of red roses sat in front of the church altar Saturday, flanked by portraits of Truitt Byers and a blue baseball cap . Final CSB Report on Imperial Sugar Disaster Concludes Inadequate The privately held Florida agribusiness U.S. Sugar will purchase Imperial Sugar, the Sugar Land, Texas-based company that owns and operatesthe Port Wentworth sugar refinery that's served as a staple of Savannah since 1917 and was the site of a 2008 sugar dust explosion that killed more than a dozen people. Final CSB Report on Imperial Sugar Disaster Concludes Inadequate Equipment Design, Maintenance, and Housekeeping Led to Massive Sugar Dust Explosions, Drivers of Critical Chemical Safety Change, CSB Calls on Chemical Companies to Prepare for Harsh Hurricane Season, CSB Public Meeting to Vote on Key Safety Recommendations and Initiate "Most Wanted" Program, Website design & development by Americaneagle.com. Another investigation is ongoing into an explosion at a milling company in Wisconsin that claimed five lives on May 31, 2017. [37] OSHA fined Imperial $8.8 million in May 2010 after citing the company for 211 violations at the Port Wentworth plant and the plant in Louisiana. Investigators were unable to determine what sparked the overnight explosion as firefighters battled flames inside the vast refinery a network of warehouses, silos and buildings eight stories tall connected by corridors of sheet metal. [8] Imperial was purchased in 2012 by the Louis Dreyfus Group. Shows / Feb 8, 2023 / 06:18 PM EST. ATLANTA More than 100 people were hurt Thursday night when an explosion rocked a sugar refinery near Savannah.The explosion occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. in a back room of the Imperial Sugar Co. facility, but the cause of the blast was unknown, said Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police spokesman Sgt. [7] Eight were transported by helicopter to the specialized Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, about an hour away. Feb. 8, 2008 Four bodies were recovered in the ruins of a sugar refinery near Savannah, Ga., that was rocked by an explosion Thursday evening and burned all night. [9] In the first quarter of 2008, Imperial posted a $15.5 million loss, which they said was primarily due to the explosion. People were worried," Glenn "Pig" Jones, former mayor of Port Wentworth, said recently. Imperial, based in Sugar Land, Texas, acquired Savannah Foods & Industries, the producer of Dixie Crystals, in 1997. Included in those were 33 individual victims, including some Imperial Sugar claimants. Deadly sugar refinery explosion remembered 15 years later It quickly came to employ hundreds of people and today occupies more than 100 acres. ", "Imperial Sugar avoids criminal charges for fatal Georgia plant dust explosion. CSB Investigation Supervisor John Vorderbrueggen, P.E., who led the 19-month investigation, said, Imperials management as well as the managers at the Port Wentworth refinery did not take effective actions over many years to control dust explosion hazards even as smaller fires and explosions continued to occur at their plants and other sugar facilities around the country.. [Still Burn Center medical director Dr. Fred MULLINS- talks about the burn victims.] Investigations conducted by the Department of Justice ruled out deliberate criminal activity in 2013.[3][4]. Dozens have been injured; 13 remain hospitalized. The company says they have made significant strides in revamping the new plant to make it bigger, better and safer. NFPA 499: Recommended Practice for the Classification of Combustible Dusts and Hazardous (Classified) Locations for Electrical Installations in Chemical Process Areas. After more than 30 years, Dr. Ed Dickinson steps down as JEMS medical director. [30][31], In March 2008, Raquel Islas, a female worker whose arms were burnt, sued Savannah-based company Stokes Contracting, who was a contracted construction company. Imperial Sugar had recently made construction changes that enabled the accumulation of sugar dust. Imperial Sugar was urged to comply with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommended practices for preventing dust fires and explosions, develop dust training and housekeeping programs, and improve its evacuation procedures. No changes to the local workforce are being considered, according to the press release. "There's a million jobs out here, but there's not a million friends.". Most of the three-mile (5km) stretch of river that had previously been closed was reopened without restriction, although a patrol remained in place to enforce a safety zone. I call upon the sugar industry and other industries to be alert to this serious danger.. Immediately after the fire, the federal U.S. Chemical Safety Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated. "The granular table sugar produced in the refinery passed through and was stored in these silos. During that time the CSB openly criticized OSHA's responses to its recommendations on combustible dust, with its board designating a Combustible Dust Standard as a "Most Wanted" regulation. When I got up, I went down and found a couple of people and we climbed out of there from the third floor to the first floor. Many of the buildings at this location were six to eight stories high with narrow gaps in between. You can support Kenyattas mission by clicking here. Savannah Sugar Refinery Explosion memorial (Back), 5. On February 7, 2008, a huge explosion and fire occurred at the Imperial Sugar refinery northwest of Savannah, Georgia, causing 14 deaths and injuring 38 others, including 14 with serious and life-threatening burns. Sugar dust inside the enclosed conveyor was likely ignited by an overheated bearing, causing an explosion that traveled into the adjacent packing buildings, dislodging sugar dust accumulations and spilled sugar located on equipment, floors, and other horizontal surfaces. [8], The Georgia plant's 371 workers continued to receive payment from Imperial, and 275 were rehired to assist with cleanup and demolition of parts of the refinery that could not be salvaged. Then, it was was locally owned by the Oxnard family, who brought 400 Cajun and Creole. Patricia Procter who was working at Imperial Sugarto provide for her four children, was among the six people who died in the weeks after this explosion. Since the Imperial explosion, the CSB has completed three combustible dust investigations that killed eight workers. [9] Port Wentworth suffered an economic depression after the accident, with local businesses losing many customers. [16] In a press conference held on February 17, 2008, one of the six members of the CSB team said that the explosion showed the ongoing risk from dust explosions despite their report highlighting the matter in 2004. OSHA cited Imperial with 124 safety violations, finding that the company acted with "plain indifference to, or intentional disregard for, employee safety and health". [17] Overnight, several deep-seated fires were uncovered and firefighting continued the next day. ", "Widow files lawsuit in sugar refinery blast. Savannah Sugar Refinery Explosion Memorial (Back), 3. Zoe covers growthand how it impacts communities in the Savannah area. U.S. Sugar's press release stated the company will work "as quickly as possible to consummate the transaction, complete the acquisition and bring the Imperial Sugar Company back into American family ownership.". "Prior to building its Clewiston Refinery in 1998, U.S. Sugar for decades sold and shipped its raw cane sugar to the Savannah refinery it is now acquiring," the press release said. Savannah Sugar Refinery Memorial - Port Wentworth, GA - Figurative Local TV kinda sorta swung into action. Coverage of Savannah Sugar Refinery Explosion- TV The second floor was debris, the first floor was debris. The first explosion known as a primary event likely occurred inside a sugar conveyor located beneath two large sugar storage silos. Savannah Sugar Refinery Explosion Memorial (Front), 4. Anxious families of the night-shift workers at the Imperial Sugar plant gathered at the parish hall of a Catholic church across the street and wept as officials relayed grim news from the plant. [3], On February 7, 2009, a monument honoring the people lost in the explosion was dedicated at Legacy Park, on the grounds of the Port Wentworth plant. Federal. At Gray, our journalists report, write, edit and produce the news content that informs the communities we serve. , Mass shootings spur divergent laws as states split, Trumps decision to back out of debate tests Fox, How Trumps attacks on prosecutors build on history, Mother remembers daughter killed weeks before 22nd, Teen killed in Statesboro shooting, police say, Drugs, drones believed to be headed into Smith State, BestReviews.com - Top picks to make everyone happy, Amazons best back-to-school deals for high schoolers, Amazons best back-to-school deals for middle schoolers, Amazons best back-to-school deals for elementary, Home Depots 12-foot skeleton is back, so Halloween, Prime Day is over but 100+ of our favorites are still, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Mike Wilson. ", "Report Cites Lack of Precautions in 2008 Sugar Plant Fire. He ruled in August 2010 that in several cases sufficient issues of fact existed for juries to determine damage claims, but none of the cases ever went before a jury. The merger of the two rival companies was challenged by an antitrust lawsuit, the company remained family-owned until it was acquired by Imperial Holly in 1997, A look back at the 2008 explosion at Imperial Sugar, Imperial Sugar tragedy repercussions continue 10 years later, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. During that fire, the multiple EMS and fire departments that responded could each communicate on only one radio channel. ", "Burned Georgia plant worker dies 6 months after explosion. "A lot of those guys were in their 40s and 50s and you just don't find another job at that age if that's where you've been your whole life. The acquisitionincludes Imperial'srefinery in Chatham County, just north of the Georgia Port Authority's Garden City terminal. Provide a copy of your combustible dust hazard awareness training materials to your clients who deal with combustible dust. View other clips in this broadcast . [12], By February 14, 2008, the worst of the fire had been extinguished. ", "Bodies recovered in Georgia sugar refinery explosion. The acquisition comes after a U.S. District Court judge in Delaware rejected the federal government's antitrust lawsuit to stop the buyout from happening. It found 118 violations at the Port Wentworth plant. Specifically, internal company memorandums by managers in 1967 expressed their concern about the potential of explosions from sugar dust. It was kept from operating for more than a week. "The city's probably here because of the sugar refinery," said the Rev. Investigation Status: The CSB's final report was released at a public meeting in Savannah, GA on September 24, 2009. In what that regards, for boats with the same length, the Bavaria C42 with a displacement of 9678kg will be in between the Beneteau or Jeanneau (8180/7784kg) and the Halberg Rassy (11000kg). CBS Evening News for Saturday, Feb 09, 2008 Savannah Sugar Refinery Timeline The Feb. 7 fire at the plant just outside Savannah, burned for seven days. [3], Within a month of the accident, OSHA, fearing that relevant employers may be unaware their facilities presented a risk of dust explosions, sent a letter to 30,000 employees to alert them to the danger of a similar explosion occurring. Imperial President and CEO John Sheptor said sugar dust in a silo where refined sugar was stored before being packaged likely ignited like gunpowder. | The ceiling was of wooden tongue and groove design. The CSB report said that the sugar industry was familiar with dust explosion hazards at least as far back as 1925. Proceed expeditiously, consistent with the Chemical Safety Boards November 2006 recommendation and OSHAs announced intention to conduct rulemaking, to promulgate a comprehensive standard to reduce or eliminate hazards from fire and explosion from combustible powders and dust. PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. (AP) Dozens of people were injured Thursday night in an explosion and fire at a sugar refinery that was felt by residents throughout this Savannah suburb, the . ", "Burn victims of Georgia refinery explosion face long, painful recovery. If youre ready for a relaxing glamping trip, here are the best portable hot tubs. (Port Wentworth: Kelly Cobiella) The explosion and fire Thursday at a sugar refinery in Savannah, Georgia, featured; scenes shown from the site; details given about the explosion of sugar dust. Only five employees recalled having a fire drill. Any editing, reproduction, publication, rebroadcast, public showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws. [8] Removal of debris began the day after the accident, with assistance from structural engineers. People in the Garden City and Levy, South Carolina area say they even heard it happen. ", "NFPA 654: Standard for the Prevention of Fire and Dust Explosions from the Manufacturing, Processing, and Handling of Combustible Particulate Solids. According to the Imperial Sugar Web site, its Dixie Crystals operation in Savannah dates to the construction in 1916 of the Savannah Sugar Refining Corp. plant on 30.6 acres fronting the Savannah River. The sugar brand is "Evercane." 1970: Company name is changed to Savannah Foods The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released its report on the incident in September 2009, saying that the explosion had been "entirely preventable". The U.S. Chemical Safety Board concluded in a special report in 2006 that OSHA had no comprehensive regulation to prevent these explosions and their program "inadequately addresses dust explosion hazards.". All rights reserved. Earl Quarterman Savannah Sugar Refinery Victim, 15. Many Imperial Sugar employees gathered at the city's gymnasium for a company meeting Friday. Imperial Sugar Dust Explosion final draft report released ", "Imperial Sugar workers had little emergency exit training. Improve the emergency evacuation policies and procedures at the Port Wentworth facility; specifically. It had never practiced evacuation procedures, and the lack of emergency lighting meant that people were confined to dark hallways and tunnels at the time of the explosions. On February 7, 2008, the Savannah area experienced one of its worst disasters in recent memory when a series of massive dust explosions at the Dixie Crystal sugar refinery killed 14 people. Very repetitious, with Sonny throwing in his 'old folksy references to people he knows at nearby churches. 1750 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 910 | Washington, DC 20006. [3], Imperial Sugar's refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, was a four-story structure on the bank of the Savannah River. 4 found dead in Ga. sugar refinery blast - NBC News ATLANTA More than 100 people were hurt Thursday night when an explosion rocked a sugar refinery near Savannah.The explosion occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. in a back room of the. Both were settled after protracted motions and appeals. But the tragic event that occurred here in Savannah demonstrates that the problem of dust explosions in industry has yet to be solved. [23], The location of the explosion was quickly established as a building used to store refined sugar prior to packaging it and two of three 100 foot (30m) tall, 18 inches (46cm) thick reinforced concrete storage silos adjacent to it, as pictured. It was a crucial part of fighting Savannah's next large riverfront fire when in February of 2014 fire burned 1,800 tons of crude rubber at a Georgia Ports Authority warehouse. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Handy said that effort led to the formation of a consortium of riverfront industries that partnered with the Savannah Fire Department to later buy and maintain the same type of equipment. John Butler Savannah Sugar Refinery Victim, 13. Imperial Sugar agreed in July 2010 to pay more than $4 million for safety violations at its Port Wentworth refinery as part of a company-wide $6 million settlement with regulators. The Smoke Comes Every Year. "It would probably be the most important thing here.". The conveyor had recently been enclosed with steel panels creating a confined, unventilated space where sugar dust could accumulate to an explosive concentration. Savannah, Georgia / Sugar Refinery Explosion | Vanderbilt Television A prominent presence in town The Port Wentworth refinery turns raw cane sugar into crystal sugar sold in supermarkets. Capable of pouring up more than 5,000 gallons of water per minute it put out the remaining molten sugar fires in the plant's silos. The settlements "were an attempt to do the best we could for a devastating loss," Savage said last month. The Oktoberfest bombing (German: Oktoberfest-Attentat) was a far-right terrorist attack. Apply the following standards to the design and operation of the new Port Wentworth facility: Conduct a comprehensive review of all existing Imperial Sugar Company sugar manufacturing facilities against the standards listed in recommendation R1 and implement identified corrective actions. Appreciate the prayers more excited to be back with the guys, Isaiah Bolden wrote in a social media post. Port Wentworth, Georgia: Sugar Explosion Memorial. Shelathia Harvey Savannah Sugar Refinery Victim, 10. Develop training materials that address combustible dust hazards and train all employees and contractors at all Imperial Sugar Company facilities. [5] The state appeals court rejected an effort by defendants' attorneys for a pre-trial appeal in two related cases in an effort to limit damages. Instead, all cases settled out of court or were resolved. "I have friends that work at this plant," said Port Wentworth Fire Chief Greg Long. Deadly sugar refinery explosion remembered 15 years later IAEMSC calls upon every EMS system in America to prioritize the implementation of prehospital blood transfusion programs. The company hoped to recycle the product for ethanol production. Accident: Imperial Sugar Company Dust Explosion and Fire, Accident Occurred On: 02/07/2008 | Final Report Released On: 09/24/2009, Accident Type: Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire. The company touted the new plant as the most modern and efficient sugar refinery in the country, with state-of-the-art technologies and safety. NFPA Handbook, Electrical Installations in Hazardous Locations. 110 Twenty-first Avenue South, Suite 704 Nashville, TN 37203, USA. Basically what went through my mind was hopefully I'll wake up and this will all be a dream.". U.S. Sugarcultivates and refinesmore than 200,000acres of sugar cane at its Clewiston, Florida, headquarters making it the largest producer of sugar in the U.S. The initial blast rocked the. The merger of the two rival companies was challenged by an antitrust lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice, but a federal judge in Delaware rejected the lawsuit, according to news reports of the deal. But these explosions are readily prevented through appropriate equipment design and maintenance and rigorous dust-cleaning programs. You may visit the Television News Archive on the Vanderbilt campus to view on-site from the Archive's collection. Recommendations The acquisition doubled Imperials size, making it the largest processor and refiner of sugar in the country, according to the Web site. [27] The bill passed the United States House of Representatives but never passed the United States Senate. The refinery was the site of a massive sugar dust explosion in 2008 where 14 people were killed and dozens more injured, prompting a federal investigation, local fundraising for the victims and new legislation aimed at making dust-prone refineries safer. Learn the difference here between cheap and expensive cast-iron cookware and how you can get started cooking all your favorite meals with it. Interesting Sailboats: BAVARIA C42: IT SAILS VERY WELL - Blogger The Port Wentworth refinery was large and old, featuring outdated construction methods, factors which are believed to have contributed to the fire's severity. Imperials insurer, Zurich Services, and an insurance industry trade association should improve their insurance audit procedures for dust hazards and share their dust hazard training materials with clients, investigators concluded. All I could do when I got down was take off running, she said. "There were the interior portions of the plant we were going into to perform searches that were just a pile of rubber. The explosion occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. in a back room of the Imperial Sugar Co. facility, but the cause of the blast was unknown, said Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police spokesman Sgt. PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. (WTOC) - Its now been 14 years since a tragedy shook Port Wentworth. Floors inside the plant collapsed, flames spread throughout the refinery, metal girders buckled into twisted heaps and shredded sheet metal littered the wreckage. Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History, Port Wentworth in Chatham County, Georgia , Photographed By Brandon D Cross, September 26, 2021, 1.

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