Accident Description

Accident: First Chemical Corp. Reactive Chemical Explosion

Location: Location: Pascgoula, MS

Accident Occurred On: 10/13/2002 | Final Report Released On: 10/15/2003

Accident Type: Reactive Incident

Investigation Status: The final CSB report on this investigation was approved at a Board public meeting in Pascagoula on October 15, 2003.

On October 13, 2002, a violent explosion occurred in a chemical distillation tower at First Chemical Corporation in Pascagoula, Mississippi, sending heavy debris over a wide area. Three workers in the control room were injured by shattered glass. One nitrotoluene storage tank at the site was punctured by explosion debris, igniting a fire that burned for several hours.

MVC-008F