Washington, DC, August 31, 2009 – The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced today that it will convene a public meeting on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, in Jacksonville, Florida, at which CSB investigators will present their final report on the causes of the fatal December 2007 explosion at T2 Laboratories Inc., a local chemical manufacturer.
The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel, 4670 Salisbury Road in Jacksonville. The meeting is open to the public. Members of the public, emergency responders, and others who were affected by the explosion are encouraged to attend. There will be a public comment period prior to the Board’s consideration of the final report. The meeting is expected to conclude by approximately 8:00 p.m.
On December 19, 2007, four people were killed and 32 others injured when an explosion occurred at T2 Laboratories during the production of a gasoline additive. The explosion – the result of a runaway chemical reaction – destroyed the facility and caused extensive damage to nearby businesses.
At the meeting CSB investigators will present the results of their investigation. The presentation will include a 3-D computer animation depicting the events that led to the tragedy. The CSB plans to release a complete safety video on the accident, which will be posted on CSB.gov and YouTube, shortly after the final report is approved.
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 companies, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Please visit our website, www.csb.gov.
For more information, please contact Public Affairs Specialist Hillary J. Cohen at (202) 261-3601.