On November 12, 2008, a 2-million-gallon liquid fertilizer tank (designated as Tank 201 by the owner) catastrophically failed at the Allied Terminals, Inc. (Allied) facility in Chesapeake, Virginia, seriously injuring two workers and partially flooding an adjacent residential neighborhood. On the day of the incident, Allied was filling Tank 201 with liquid fertilizer to check for leaks prior to painting the tank. During the filling, a welder and his helper sealed leaking rivets on the tank. At a fill level about 3.5 inches below the calculated maximum liquid level, the tank split apart...

On January 11, 2006, an explosion and fire occurred at the City of Daytona Beach, Bethune Point Wastewater Treatment Plant (Bethune Point WWTP) in Daytona Beach, Florida, killing two employees and severely burning a third. The Bethune Point WWTP processes wastewater using a treatment that requires the addition of methanol, a highly flammable liquid. The methanol is stored in an aboveground storage tank. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) determined that maintenance workers using a cutting torch on a roof above the methanol storage tank accidentally ignited vapors...

This investigation report examines a vapor cloud deflagration and fire that occurred on January 13, 2003, at BLSR Operating, Ltd., near Rosharon, Texas. The fire was caused by the release of hydrocarbon vapor during the unloading of basic sediment and water from two vacuum trucks into an open area collection pit. This report identifies the root and contributing causes of the incident. It makes recommendations on recognizing the flammability hazards of exploration and production waste liquids, and on safely handling flammable liquids. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board...