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Safety

Bad Practices Led To Deadly Accident

by Jeff Johnson
February 11, 2013 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 91, Issue 6
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Credit: CSB
The Carbide explosion killed two and left widespread destruction.
Photo shows the aftermath of a March 21, 2011, fire and explosion that occurred at the Carbide Industries facility located in Louisville, Ky.
Credit: CSB
The Carbide explosion killed two and left widespread destruction.

Poor industrial safety and production practices as well as years of ignored warnings led to a fatal explosion at the Carbide Industries plant in Louisville, Ky., says a Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) report released last week. The facility produces calcium carbide. In the March 2011 accident, cooling water leaked into an electric arc furnace, causing overpressurization. A 3,800 °F mix of molten calcium carbide, debris, and hot gases blew out of the furnace and through the double-pane reinforced glass window of a nearby furnace control room, killing two workers inside. CSB found that similar yet smaller accidents had occurred at the plant but were ignored by the company. CSB recommends that the National Fire Protection Association improve industry codes for safety devices for similar furnaces and that industry adopt them.

Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
Copyright © 2025 American Chemical Society

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