Explosion at Williams in Geismar Claims Two Lives

An explosion and fire in a cracker on June 13 at the Williams olefins plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S., has claimed two lives, according to local authorities. The first death, immediately following the blast believed to have resulted from the ignition of propylene and propane, was a plant operator. The second, the plant's operations supervisor, succumbed to severe burns a day later. Some 70 employees were reported injured.

On June 17, Williams was still investigating the cause of the accident, which is said to have occurred during routine maintenance. The cracker remains offline, and a date for a restart has not been announced. U.S. government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) have announced participation in the investigation. U.S. spot ethylene prices spiked temporarily on the news.

Companies with downstream facilities at the Geismar site include BASF, which produces ethylene oxide, Shell Chemicals, and PVC producer Westlake. All plants were believed to be operating normally following the incident. According to press reports, a worker at the BASF plant, who said he suffered throat burns and breathing problems as a result of the blast, has filed a lawsuit against Williams, charging negligence. He also is said to be seeking class action status for the complaint.