Explosions damage SantoLubes' US insecticides plant

13 April 2009 18:21  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--A series of explosions at SantoLubes’ chemical plant near St Louis, Missouri, on Sunday night left the plant badly damaged and one worker in serious condition at a local hospital, fire department officials said on Monday.

The subsequent fire at the St Charles, Missouri-based facility took several hours to extinguish, and occurred inside the plant’s building that housed several chemicals used in the production of insecticides, the fire department said.

According to the St Louis Post-Dispatch, the blast is believed to have involved ferric chloride.

The fire department closed valves to the building’s chemical tanks and extinguished the fire with foam on early Monday morning.

Meanwhile, the worker sustained burns over at least 30% of his body, according to the fire department.

SantoLubes also makes lubricants used in the aerospace, electronics, automotive, power and industrial sectors.

The company did not initially respond to requests for comment.

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By: Ben DuBose
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