The multiple-fatality explosion on October 17, 2016 explosion and subsequent fires at the german facility has been determined to be caused by a contractor cutting into an incorrect line/pipe containing flammable raffinate. Two employees of the on-site fire department and an employee of a tanker which was anchored in the harbor died in the accident. Another employee of the on-site fire department who was severely injured in the explosion died on October 29. Seven people were seriously injured and another 22 suffered slight injuries.
Course of events:
They have established that a cut in a pipeline that was not part of the scheduled maintenance work had been made with a cutting disc while other maintenance work using an angle grinder was in progress on an adjacent pipeline. “The cut pipeline contained a butylene mixture. BASF assumes that this butylene mixture leaked out and ignited due to the sparks produced by the angle grinder,” said the preliminary evaluation of the possible chain of events.
The course of events is still being investigated by the public prosecutor’s office, but a few days prior to the accident, a specialized pipeline construction company began to conduct assembly works on a deflated and secured propylene pipeline route. The aim of the assembly works was to exchange several parts of the propylene pipeline as a preventive maintenance measure. On October 17, a fire started at approximately 11:30 a.m. near the assembly works. The on-site fire department, emergency service, and environmental protection arrived a few minutes later at the incident area and immediately started emergency operations. During the initiation of emergency operations, an explosion, most likely at the ethylene pipeline, occurred. The explosion led to subsequent fires at various points along the pipeline trench, damaging further product and supply pipelines. Additional emergency forces immediately began rescue measures as well as extinguishing and cooling measures.
The fire brigade performed controlled burning of the leaking products in accordance with the fire-fighting concept for compressed gases. The pipelines that burned included those used for ethylene, propylene, a butylene product mix (raffinate), pyrolysis gasoline and ethylhexanol.
As of October 17, 9.30 p.m., the emergency forces extinguished the fire.
Status of the investigation:
On Wednesday, October 26, the District Attorney of Frankenthal/Palatinate and the Police Headquarters of Rheinpfalz announced the following information on the progress of the investigation:
“In the course of intensive investigations directly at the scene of the incident, it has been established that there was a cut made in a pipeline. This was apparently done with a cutting disc. Maintenance work using an angle grinder was in progress on an adjacent pipeline. The cut pipeline was not part of this work. This pipeline contained flammable raffinate.”
According to the current, preliminary evaluation, this could be the chain of causes:
The cut pipeline contained a butylene mixture. The facility assumes that this butylene mixture leaked out and ignited due to the sparks produced by the angle grinder. This could have led to the fire, which caused the described explosion. The facility has commissioned an independent expert to analyze the accident. The expert’s report will analyze the sequence of events and the cause of the incident. This will include, for example, an investigation of the safety of the affected pipelines and the occupational safety measures. The expert began his work on November 4, 2016. The objectives and scope of the safety-related inspection were set out by the Southern Structure and Licensing Directorate (Struktur- und Genehmigungsdirektion Süd) in consultation with the expert.
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