Chemical Safety Board Deploying to Accident at Williams Olefins Plant in Geismar, Louisiana

Washington, DC, June 14, 2013 - An investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is deploying to the scene of a fire and explosion that occurred on Thursday June 13, 2013, at the William Olefins Inc, Plant located in Geismar, Louisiana.
The investigative team will be led by CSB Western Regional Office Director Don Holmstrom and is expected to arrive in Louisiana over the weekend.

The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency’s board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.

For more information, contact Hillary Cohen hillary.cohen@csb.gov 202.446.8094 (cell) or Sandy Gilmour sandy.gilmour@csb.gov 202.251.5496 (cell).