ON OCTOBER 13, 2002, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED AT APPROX 5:25 A.M. AT THE FIRST CHEMICAL CORPORATION CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING COMPLEX, LOCATED IN PASCAGOULA, MS. THE EXPLOSION INVOLVED A RUNAWAY REACTION OF MONONITROTOLUENE (MNT), THAT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE NEGLIGENCE OF FCC. DEBRIS AND LIQUID MNT FROM THE EXPLODING COLUMN COVERED A ONE SQUARE MILE AREA, INJURED THREE EMPLOYEES, CAUSED THE PUBLIC TO SHELTER-IN-PLACE, LITTERED A PUBLIC HIGHWAY, BROKE WINDOWS, DAMAGED BUSSINESS AND HOUSES, AND STRUCK A 300,000 GALLON PARANITROTOLUENE STORAGE TANK (CAUSING IT TO CATCH FIRE AND BURN). A SIX-TON SECTION OF THE TOWER LANDED IN A POND AT THE CHEVRON REFINERY (NEARLY MISSING A LARGE TANK FARM). IN ADDITION, DEBRIS NEARLY MISSED A 500,000 POUND ANHYDROUS AMMONIA STORAGE TANK AND OTHER CHEMICAL PROCESSING UNITS, PETROLEUM PROCESSING VESSELS, LARGE OIL STORAGE TANKS, CHLORINE CYLINDERS AND SULFURIC ACID TANKS.
DUPONT PURCHASED FCC ON NOVEMBER 6, 2002. EPA IS ALLEGING FCC AND DUPONT FAILED TO: (1) IDENTIFY HAZARDS, PERFORM HAZARD ANALYSIS, AND UPDATE THE MSDS FOR MNT; (2) DESIGN A SAFE FACILITY, ISOLATE HEAT SOURCES FROM THE DISTILLATION COLUMN, INSTALL INSTRUMENTATION AND EMERGENCY SYSTEMS, AND HAVE A MAINTENANCE PROGRAM TO MAINTAIN THE MECHANICAL INTEGRITY OF CRITICAL CALVES; AND (3) MINIMIZE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE RUNAWAY REACTION, AND HAVE OPERATOR TRAINING TO MONITOR THE SHUTDOWN OF THE DISTILLATION COLUMN, IN VIOLATION OF THE GENERAL DUTY CLAUSE OF THE CAA. EPA IS SEEKIN