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Friday, 05 December, 2008, 17:20 GMT | more >>

Faulty alarm blamed for BP blast



By Upstream staff 

Alarms installed at BP's Texas City oil refinery malfunctioned before an explosion which killed 15 and injured more than 100, a US Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) report into the blast has found.

"The high-level alarms did eventually sound, but only after the explosions had begun, likely as a result of the blast pressure," the report said.

"Had the alarms sounded properly as the blowdown drum was flooding, it could have alerted operators to the emergency situation."

The CSB, a federal body which investigates industrial accidents, is investigating the March incident and has requested maintenance records for the alarms and related equipment.

Meanwhile, BP has negotiated "extremely big" settlements with families of workers killed in the explosion, lawyers for the families involved have told Reuters.

A BP spokesman confirmed that talks with families and victims of the blast are under way, but declined to discuss details.

The British supermajor has claimed the explosion occurred because refinery employees failed to follow correct procedures.

Two employees fired from the refinery after the blast have filed a defamation suit against BP, claiming their dismissal and the explanation offered for the deadly explosion caused them to be blamed for the deaths and injuries.


Tuesday, 28 June, 2005, 16:17 GMT  | last updated: Wednesday, 29 June, 2005, 07:25 GMT

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