http://www.wtoc.com/story/28046841/family-friends-remember-victims-of-imperial-sugar-explosion-7-years-later. Both of Sky Metalwala's parents were immigrants to the United States. "It was the loudest, most overwhelming explosion I've ever felt. Authorities in Florida had taken a child from Morgan's home there. Eight workers died at the scene and six others eventually succumbed to their injuries at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia. As part of the day, Legacy Park on the grounds of the Port Wentworth plant is dedicated. On Feb. 7 of that year, a sugar dust explosion inPort Wentworth claimed 14 lives and injured 38 others. Eighteen cases have been settled for victims of the Feb. 7, 2008, fire and explosion at the Port Wentworth Imperial Sugar Co. refinery, an attorney confirmed Wednesday. Biryukova later claimed that she did not tell her own family the real reason the two had wed until 2010. It is not as profitable as expected. Olympic Pipeline explosion. PORT WENTWORTH, GA (WTOC) - Saturday marks the seven year anniversary of a disaster that shook the Coastal Empire, and in many ways is still felt by those who live here. Her car, when tested, proved to have adequate fuel in its tank and operated normally. Aug. 15: One more victim heads home from the Still Burn Center. On Friday night, as they've done every year sense, those affected by the tragedy came together at Our Lady of Lourdes Church to remember those who were lost and those who survived the explosion. Feb. 17: Combustible dust hearings are held in Atlanta to determine ways to reduce the hazards that likely caused the refinery explosion. Eight bodies are eventually recovered from the site as many others are injured. Despite those setbacks, the two bought a home in Kirkland that year for over $800,000, in addition to the mortgage payments they still had to make on their Bellevue condominium. Feb 17: Gerald Schantz hosts a BBQ to raise money for the victims' families.
Hard lessons learned from Imperial Sugar explosion - Savannah Morning News Mar. [11], The theory that Sky's disappearance might have been arranged by Biryukova drew more credence when police learned of strong coincidences between her story and a recently aired episode of the popular NBC crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. October: Transales Corp. phased out. The U.S. House passed a bill requiring OSHA to set standards on combustible dust, and the Senate held hearings. Detectives would not confirm whether, according to some reports, Biryukova had done so during the lengthy mediation hearing the week before Sky went missing. We respect your data and privacy. OSHA dropped a proposed standard on combustible dust. [17], In 2015, on the case's fourth anniversary, Bellevue's new police chief, Steve Mylett, appealed publicly to Biryukova to talk to them again. In 1994, five years before the accident, an IMCO Construction crew, working on behalf of the City of Bellingham, damaged the pipeline while constructing the city's water treatment plant and failed to notify officials about the damage. Apr.
Inferno: Dust Explosion at Imperial Sugar - Safety Videos - CSB July 15: Savannah Foods and Florida Crystals, a subsidiary of Flo-Sun, announce a proposed merger of the two companies. Davis, the deputy fire chief, said the blast blew out windows in nearby industrial buildings, and the axle from the propane truck that exploded was found on Highway 16, at least four blocks away. Broken equipment inside a steel conveyor belt sparked the first explosion at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth on a mild winter night 10 years ago. Mar. Lest We Forget" will mark. The refinery was the site of a massive sugar dust explosion in 2008 where 14 people were killed and dozens more injured, prompting a federal investigation, local fundraising for the victims. October: Common Stock begins trading on New York Stock Exchange. Imperial will pay $6 million but admits no fault. The agency offers only guidance on the issue, highlighting the dangers and the practices and controls that can reduce the potential for an explosion. Updated: 10:42 PM EST Feb 5, 2018 Show Transcript PORT WENTWORTH, Ga Few in our area will forget the night of February 7, 2008. The company had been a main sponsor for eight years. Apr. There are claims that Imperial knew of the dust hazards before the tragedy. Bellevue police spokesperson Seth Tyler said, "We do believe she knows where Sky is. On Friday night, as they've done every year sense, those affected by the tragedy came together at Our Lady of Lourdes Church to remember those who were lost and those who survived the explosion. October 1984: U. S. Senator Sam Nunn present the U. S. Senate's Productivity Award. October 16: Shareholders agree to sell 88.1 percent of the company stock to Imperial Holly. 1980: Makes first appearance at number 472 on Fortune Magazine 500 largest American companies.
Disappearance of Sky Metalwala - Wikipedia Two vice presidents are fired. The primary explosion occurred inside a sugar conveyor located beneath two sugar-storage silos that were inadequately designed and had allowed a build-up of sugar dust. This was due to the explosion being centered in a large, forested park; the fires mostly staying in Whatcom Creek; and the ignition occurring before more gasoline had leaked, which would have resulted in a much larger explosion. And even as the event goes on, the 10th and 11th deaths are recorded at the burn center. Three people died in the incident. The $8.8 million in fines are still pending. Joan Malloy, a lifelong Tacoma resident, had just gotten out of the shower when she felt the explosion. However, they did not formally describe her as a prime suspect or person of interest, nor did they charge her with child endangerment despite the circumstances of the case and her past arrest, along with her then-husband, for leaving Sky in the car unsupervised. However, in 2013, he said that he did not know how that could have happened. Some of the first people to the scene worked at Memorial and still . Nevertheless, in 2003, she married him in a brief ceremony in his mother's kitchen. Both claimed to investigators they did not live together despite giving them the same address; Biryukova said at one point she did not even know who the father was, even though Morgan's name was on the child's birth certificate. "Obviously she's just trying to maybe get me kind of riled up," he said. The fire exceeded 2,000F (1,090C). According to its Web site, Atlas Castings & Technology, formerly known as Atlas Foundry & Machine Co., produces cast parts, some as large as 48,000 pounds, in more than 100 different alloys of carbon steel, low-alloy steel, stainless steel and nickel base material.
April: Install a canister production line to produce its new Quick 'n Sweet product line. The money generated is used for debt reduction and investments. May 1: Agribusiness Louis Dreyfus Commodities announces they will acquire Imperial Sugar. The month the two were married, Biryukova reported Morgan to the Redmond police for allegedly assaulting her and was granted a no-contact order; she nevertheless visited him regularly in jail in Issaquah, where he was when she gave birth, under assumed names. On 7 February 2008, fourteen people were killed and thirty eight injured during a dust explosion at an Imperial Sugar owned refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, United States. December 3: Imperial Sugar Co. announces it has signed a non-binding letter of intent with Hormel for the sale of Diamond Crystal Brand. Feb. 27: Applications to assist families begin. By: Orlando Montoya. The Imperial Sugar Co. plant in Port Wentworth, Georgia exploded on February 7, 2008. Witnesses miles away felt the explosions and said they saw flames shoot up as much as 1,000 feet in the air. However, on November 3, shortly after the agreement had been signed, Biryukova called her lawyer and, saying she had felt pressured into the session, decided to void it. John Oxendine, the state's . [6], In September 2010, the court awarded Biryukova full custody of both children. Editor's note: Check out the U.S. Chemical Safety Board's final after-action report here. 1968: Western Grain Company of Birmingham Alabama, also known as Jim Dandy Co., is acquired. December: W. W. Sprague, Jr. announces retirement as CEO and chairman. January 31, 1944: Benjamin O. Sprague dies. November 1980: Acquire Sunaid Food Products. The Imperial Sugar Company facility located outside of Savannah Georgia erupted with a series of fierce cascading explosions on February 7, 2008. He said it was like a bomb going off. [7] Two children, Wade King and Stephen Tsiorvas, both 10, were playing near the creek confluence during the explosion. With additional propane tanks at risk of explosion, firefighters douse flames at the foundry Saturday evening. March: New storage silos begin to rise over the plant. Meanwhile, Imperial outlines its 'commitment to safety' in response to the knowledge of dust hazards. January: The company posted net income of $9.14 million for the previous three months. However, the fire never extended past Interstate 5.[2]. [1], Business further declined in the Great Recession that began in 2008. September: Purchases South Coast Sugars of Raceland, Louisiana. It recommended that Imperial Sugar adopt better procedures and training for dealing with the hazard of combustible dust. The company also gets to keep its name. March: Imperial Sugar reports a net loss of $5 million for the second quarter. The loss is blamed on the high cost of raw sugar. [2], Authorities all noted that the destruction and death toll were much lower than would be expected from such a large explosion. W. W. Sprague, III becomes CEO and president. Sept. 11: Chatham County State Court Judge Hermann Coolidge rules that the lawyers cooperate and allow depositions in all cases. Organizers of the memorial service conducted prayers for healing, for support, and to remember all those affected by the explosion. [14], Investigators stated publicly that they did not believe Biryukova's story and suspected criminal activity had occurred. Explosions devastated the refinerys buildings, the report said. At Biryukova's apartment complex in Redmond, neighbors said she and her children rarely went out, and none of them had seen Sky for at least two weeks. She refused to let them see Solomon, who did not have any visitation rights. Many nearby buildings had broken windows. Feb. 26: The number of fatalities goes to 12 as another person dies. Displaying 1 - 21 of 106. Lawyers for the victims say they two have stock in Imperial and therefore cannot be impartial. March 1969: The Sugar Refinery and the Jim Dandy Co. open their new liquid feed facility at the Port Wentworth plant. The explosion was caused by a dangerous build-up of sugar dust at the refinery. Renamed Sunaid of Florida, Inc. May 1984: Buys Michigan Sugar, a producer and marketer of beet sugar. It also. Do you currently have formal mutual aid/auto aid agreements in place with these agencies? "That's why we try to have it here, because the church played an important role during that time," said Faith Baptist Church Pastor Samuel Williams. "She concocted that hospital story and when she realized no-one believed it, she hired an attorney," Leslie Clay Berry, Solomon's attorney, told the Seattle Weekly in 2013. But several international unions criticized the board for not repeating in the report its earlier recommendation to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration of strong standards on combustible dust in factories. By then lenders were beginning to foreclose the family's properties and they were in arrears on many of their bills. Crotty said fire officials evacuated people from around the foundry, an area that stretched from South M Street to Pine Street, and from South Tacoma Way to Center Street. Biryukova offered to forego alimony and child support if he let her move to Arizona with the children, but he refused. Witnesses miles away felt the explosions and said they saw flames shoot up as much as 1,000 feet in the air. 3: The U.S. Department of Labor sends a top investigator to inspect the ruins of the plant. What specialized resources would you have called for assistance? [2], Biryukova met her future husband at age 15, three years after emigrating from Russia. [5], Sky was born in 2009; a psychiatrist Biryukova saw prescribed her antidepressants while she was pregnant although she said she did not need them. Oct. 13, 2008: The investigation into the noose found on June 4 proves inconclusive. "It sounded like my house was exploding," she said. On the 10th anniversary, the Bellevue police released an updated flyer with Sky now shown age-progressed to 12.
Thursday marks 11 years since Imperial Sugar Refinery explosion - WTOC ATLANTA (Reuters) - An explosion at Imperial Sugars plant near Savannah, Georgia, in 2008 that killed 14 people was entirely preventable, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said in a report on its investigation. 11: Two more burn victims are released. Photo courtesy of U.S. Chemical Safety Board. Robert Oxnard Sprague becomes chairman of the board. The loss would have been $9.4 million without gains from the company's continued selling of its marketable securities. [2] No gas can was found in the car. February 2: Savannah Foods lays off 35 people. Solomon claimed that the allegations were fabricated, and said Biryukova's mental problems made her unstable, incapable of keeping food in the house, or letting her children sleep in beds due to her OCD. "I was scared. This was the first conviction against a pipeline company under the 1979 Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act. 225 employees are back at work. Sept. 10: Legal tangling begins as lawyers argue over the number of depositions to be allowed in the 10 lawsuits pending. August: Imperial's insurer goes to court to have them removed from pending lawsuits.
Imperial Sugar Factory Explosion That Killed 14 In Georgia Was - NPR She sought "financial stability", as well as $3,0005,000 in cash per month. November: One year later, Savannah Foods is reporting that it is in the black for the last quarter. The first firefighters who arrived aimed high-powered hoses at the other propane tanks on site to keep them cool, Crotty said. As we continue our after-action reviews of historical events that have impacted the industrial fire service, the 2008 explosion at Imperial Sugar's Georgia refinery is one that deserves special attention. This one is against Savannah Foods & Industries as well as Stokes Contracting. The foundry, at 3021 S. Wilkeson St., is in the Nalley Valley, an industrial area, with homes on the surrounding hills, near the intersection of I-5 and Highway 16. The blast turned the packaging facility into a complicated maze of twisted metal. People in the Garden City and Levy, South Carolina area say they even heard it happen. Feb. 8, 2008. January: W. W. Sprague, Jr. steps down as president and becomes chairman and CEO. Along the way, Biryukova stated that she ran out of gas and left Sky in the car along a Bellevue street while she went to get help. Both were estimated to be about half-full. Seattle Times reporters Linda Shaw, Susan Gilmore, Charles E. Brown and David Turim contributed to this report. At this point, four patients are left with 2 others in the rehab unit. William S. Pardonner is named the second president. If so, do you report your findings, and do you have a process for a follow-up inspection to verify corrective action has been taken?
18 settle claims from 2008 Imperial Sugar explosion - Savannah Morning News Apr.
2021 Flour Dust Explosion in Savannah, Georgia - Dust Safety Science April: The company posted its highest March quarter earnings on record. Two victims are left in critical condition. [7], The couple vigorously contested the divorce. Large quantities of dust dispersed and suspended in air can cause a rapid combustion known as deflagration. Solomon moved with the children to his parents' home in Kirkland. "That's why we try to have it here, because the church played an important role during that time, said Faith Baptist Church Pastor Samuel Williams. [15], ABC News was unable to confirm whether it was indeed Biryukova who had responded to them, as she was known to be staying with relatives at the time. Their proposal is characterized as an acquisition rather than a merger. Uncovered Hazards: Explosion at the DeRidder Pulp and Paper Mill. Steve Lawson, a salesman at the nearby Titus-Will car dealership, said he went outside after he heard the explosion to see flames shooting up in the air and stretching as wide as 300 to 400 feet. The report prompts U.S. Rep. John Barrow to push the legislation on sugar dust rules. Had a combustible dust standard been in place at Imperial Sugar this catastrophic incident would not have taken place, Frederick said.
Olympic pipeline explosion - Wikipedia The fire burned on for days inside of the silos in the center of the plant, and eventually those were demolished. The rupture allowed 277,000 US gallons (1,050,000L) of gasoline to escape into the creek bed. Kessler said the foundry had two tanks, one with a capacity of 20,000 gallons, and another with 14,000 gallons. Mar. 30: Eighteen cases against Imperial Sugar have been settled to date. [8], Unlike her client, Berry is doubtful about the outcome of the case. Mar. Jimmy, Rosalynn Carter still holding hands, grandson tells magazine. A propane tank on site also caught fire but did not explode, according to Dan Crotty, assistant fire chief at the Tacoma Fire Department. In early 2013, a federal prosecutor said no criminal charges would be filed in the blast, citing insufficient evidence. Thirty-two patients were treated at Memorial after the right after the explosion and 18 people were transferred to the burn center in Augusta.
Imperial Sugar tragedy: Repercussions continue decade later [1] The gasoline vapors exploded at 5:02 PM PDT, sending a fireball down Whatcom Creek. The 75,000-square-foot facility should be completed by next summer. That covers the cost of building a new refinery, the loss of income during the time the refinery was down and the cost of . Since then, explosions and fires tied to combustible dust have continued to claim worker lives. Nov. 19, 2008: Ground is broken for a new packaging warehouse. The final tally was 35 cents per share compared with 14 cents per share in the same quarter of 1995. 32 8.636 N, 81 9.047 W. Marker is in Port Wentworth, Georgia, in Chatham County. That fire started in an area where some welding was done after a welding remnant apparently smoldered, officials said. The refinery compensates by boosting its use of Florida raw sugar. Apr. [19], Two years later Biryukova was arrested by Redmond police on a shoplifting charge. While she was there, their lender foreclosed on the condominium. By 1999, when she finished high school and was naturalized, the couple bought a condominium in Bellevue.
Imperial Sugar bought by U.S. Sugar, upgrades planned for Savannah refinery 2023 www.savannahnow.com. Organizers of the memorial service conducted prayers for healing, for support, and to remember all those affected by the explosion. Julia Biryukova is a Ukrainian born in Soviet Russia; she later claimed to have been subjected to shock therapy in mental hospitals during her childhood as punishment, in addition to regular disciplinary beatings by her parents, with serious negative effects on her self-esteem as a result. June: There is a 2% reduction in the work force at the Westside refinery. DSHS workers were trying to have the infant removed from her care. Solomon Metalwala is originally from Pakistan. [2], The gasoline exploded at 5:02 PM. The Georgia Legislature observes a moment of silence as the first anniversary approaches.
Federal OSHA issues third largest fine in history following sugar [8] Berry, Solomon's attorney, said she believes more definitely that Sky was never in the car that morning, nor would police have been expected to find any evidence in the apartment. Since the local plant is taking up the slack from the Ohio plant, the strikers threaten to expand the strike to the Savannah plant. The fire shot up several stories and could be seen across the river into South Carolina. Apr. Port Wentworth boasts a population of 4,000 people and is situated directly on the Savannah River. Apr. Police in Kirkland were called when the couple were seen arguing loudly at a local gas station over their plans for the evening. Each year, the community pauses to remember the 14 lives lost and the more than 40 people injured in the incident on Feb. 7, 2008. After they agreed to take a parenting class, charges were dropped several years later. November: The plant is ready to begin full operations again. What resources do you have immediately available for a structural collapse incident? Within two years they were experiencing financial problems as well, when a competing deli opened next to their restaurant and began cutting into their earnings. [18], Around the time of the fourth anniversary of Sky's disappearance in 2015, it was reported that Biryukova had not only remarried the previous year but had borne her third child by her new husband, Alan Morgan, in July. He was rendered unconscious by the fumes and fell into the creek, drowning before the explosion. 12. The company was founded in 1899, making iron castings for the logging industry. Recommendations "Big Mike" Williams, 51, of Savannah. The nearly three dozen Atlas employees working Saturday were accounted for, fire officials said. They conclude that the accident was "entirely preventable, and the deaths and injuries should not have happened." Southbound traffic on Interstate 5 comes to a halt Saturday afternoon as a fire burns at the Atlas Castings & Technology foundry near the intersection with Highway 16 in Tacoma. Trooper Brandy Kessler of the State Patrol said the events started when a delivery truck, loaded with 8,000 gallons of propane, exploded at the foundry, starting a fire in a nearby propane tank.
Is plant cleanliness considered during your monthly or annual inspections? September 30: William Sprague III, the Savannah Foods president who backed its 1997 buyout by Imperial Holly Corp., resigns. The vast list of industries subject to such disasters includes agriculture, chemicals, foods such as flour and starch, grain, fertilizer, tobacco, plastics, wood, paper, rubber, textiles, pharmaceuticals, coal and metal processing.
The site was about 20 minutes away from the Imperial Sugar Refinery, which witnessed one of the most infamous explosions in North America for at least the last two decades. All Rights Reserved. Others present are Mr. Hackett, W. W. Sprague, Bernard F. Diamond (president of the company that built the barge), and Thomas Oxnard. At Gray, our journalists report, write, edit and produce the news content that informs the communities we serve. Benjamin Oxnard Sprague is selected as the third president. Searchers combed a 20-block radius of the car but found nothing. The Imperial sugar plant explosion claimed 14 lives, and injured dozens more. Mar. ". A massive accumulation of combustible sugar dust fueled the blast that demolished much of the Imperial Sugar refinery in Chatham County. December: Lawrence Manker's lawsuit is settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. Firefighters, safety managers, and industrial responders should review this incident and the investigative reports that followed to learn critical lessons. "I am convinced you hold the key to finding Sky," he said in a local newspaper. 23: John Bresland, chairman of the Chemical Safety Board, tours the plant. [1], The situation was reported to police, who soon came to doubt Biryukova's account since her car was found to have enough gas in its tank and was in working order. Now Playing. For most people the phrase "dust explosion" summons an image as slight as emptying a vacuum clearer, not an industrial catastrophe that destroys life and property.
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