Deadly explosion at PeroxyChem's Pasadena, Texas facility

Deadly explosion at a Pasadena hazardous chemical plant was the 10th such incident in the greater Houston area since the DuPont tragedy 14 months ago.

Two people have been killed and 18 injured amid explosions, fires and chemical leaks throughout the petrochemical complexes in southern Brazoria County.

DuPont's third deadly U.S. accident in five years, and the deadliest. On November 15th, a chemical leak in LaPorte took the lives of four workers, including two brothers

A blast at PeroxyChem killed one worker and sent three to the hospital.

Philadelphia-based PeroxyChem, which was bought by a private equity firm in 2014 from chemical manufacturer FMC Corp., employs about 600 people worldwide, with facilities in North and South America, Asia and Europe, according to its 2014 annual report.

News reports and company documents show it places a strong emphasis on safety, with its plant in Pasadena housing a special group that provides "technical expertise to all PeroxyChem sites." In 2007, when it was still FMC, the company consulted on a safety system at a British Columbia plant after an explosion.

The company's main product is hydrogen peroxide, one of three hazardous chemicals listed in its most recent chemical inventory.

Hydrogen peroxide is a common household item in low concentrations. It's an antiseptic used to clean cuts, causing kids everywhere to wince at the sting. It's a bleaching agent, so it can be found in hair dye and tooth-whitening products. At high concentrations, though, it's highly toxic, causing serious burns, and can explode if heated.

The balance between helpful and harmful is an inherent part of the chemical industry.

In its 2014 report, PeroxyChem said it had "recordable incidents" that year but was fortunate to have no serious or life-threatening events.

"Our injuries spanned across functional areas, reminding us that our focus on safety must extend past the traditional manufacturing setting, and incidents can happen anywhere, anytime," the report reads.

Last February, one of the Pasadena facility's control rooms caught fire. The company controlled the fire before first-responders arrived. No one was injured.

The Pasadena plant, which is in the Bayport Industrial District along with dozens of other chemical plants, is one of four facilities in North America where PeroxyChem manufactures chemicals.

The facility was last inspected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in December 2014 and is in compliance with the Clean Air Act. Prior to Saturday's explosion, OSHA had not visited the plant in the last 10 years.

County fire officials, Haz-Mat and Channel Industries Mutual Aid all responded to the explosion at 12:45 p.m. in the 12000 block of Bay Area Boulevard.

Fire officials said Saturday that the explosion was caused by an "over-pressurized tank." PeroxyChem officials said workers were "conducting a routine function" during the explosion.

The worker who died at the scene was a contractor, PeroxyChem said. Another contractor and two PeroxyChem employees were taken to the hospital, one with a broken arm and two with chemical exposure, Pasadena police have said.

Working in the hazardous chemical industry is dangerous. The incidence of accidental injury and death is high. Unfortunately, companies often ignore safety problems, and serious accidents can occur.

At the law firm of Miller Weisbrod, we believe in holding hazardous chemical companies responsible for their negligence.

Experience and Results in Hazardous Chemical Accident Lawsuits
Miller Weisbrod has successfully pursued multiple lawsuits against hazardous chemical companies arising from explosions due to aging pipes, broken pipes and inadequate policies relating to replacement of pipeline components.

Clay Miller, partner in Miller Weisbrod, recently obtained a $12,500,000 Settlement in a gas explosion resulting in serious burn injuries to our clients.

If you have suffered an injury or property damage in a hazardous chemical or natural gas explosion, please contact us at 214.987.0005 or toll free at 888.987.0005 for a free consultation. You may also contact us by e-mail today for answers to your important questions or to schedule an appointment.