Today the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final report on a flammable vapor explosion and fire at the Yenkin-Majestic facility in Columbus, OH, on April 8, 2021. One employee died during the incident, and eight other workers were injured.
The CSB’s final report makes several important safety recommendations to Yenkin-Majestics, as well as to professional and trade associations.
The explosion and fire occurred shortly after midnight on April 8, 2021, when a mixture of flammable naphtha solvent vapors and resin liquid escaped through the seal of a closed manway of an operating kettle, creating a flammable vapor cloud that quickly spread throughout the facility.
Within minutes, the flammable vapor cloud found an ignition source, causing an explosion and a fire that burned for roughly 11 hours.
- More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene, including hazmat teams.
- Nearby buildings were damaged, and a fire broke out at an adjacent property.
- Local news outlets reported that the explosion shook nearby homes and was seen, heard, or felt throughout parts of Columbus.
- Yenkin-Majestic estimated that the incident caused over $90 million in property damage to the site.
The CSB determined that the release occurred through the closed manway after the kettle became pressurized by the rapid vaporization of solvent in the kettle when the kettle’s agitator was switched on after it was discovered that the agitator had not been operating while the solvent was being added to the kettle, as it should have been. In its investigation, the CSB found that the manway was not designed, constructed, or pressure tested to a design pressure appropriate for the process.
The CSB’s final report highlights three key safety issues: