Chlorine leak shuts down textile mill

The company that owns a textile mill damaged in January 2005 when chlorine leaked from a derailed Norfolk Southern train will go out of business this summer. The leak killed nine people and badly damaged the Avondale Mills denim plant in Graniteville, S.C. CEO G. Stephen Felker says that, beyond the human tragedy, the impact of "higher costs, lost business, and severely damaged equipment and plants is greater than we can endure." Prior to the leak, Avondale says, the company had been successfully competing against the textile imports that had bankrupted domestic competitors. It plans to continue pressing its claims against Norfolk Southern.