Washington, DC, December 8, 2009 – The U.S. Chemical Safety Board is deploying an investigation team to the site of an explosion that occurred Monday afternoon at the NDK America Inc. plant, a manufacturer of quartz crystals in Belvidere, Illinois, approximately 60 miles northwest of Chicago.
According to Belvidere emergency responders a member of the public located approximately 300 yards from the facility was fatally injured after being struck by debris thrown offsite by the explosion. Two individuals were reported to have sustained minor injuries and were treated onsite.
The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.
The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Visit our website, www.csb.gov.
For more information, contact Public Affairs Specialist Amy McCormick at 202.261.76