http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/T2_Laboratories_Jacksonville_Plant_Explosion Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:14:21 -0800 pixel-app en http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13772 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13772 Jacksonville plant explosion at T2 Laboratories in Florida was worse than first thought.  Early reports said that 14 people were injured in the fatal blast that occurred at T2 Laboratories in December, but now it appears that more than double that number were actually hurt by the Jacksonville plant explosion.  Flying debris from the T2 Laboratories explosion apparently hit 19 other people not on the Jacksonville plant’s grounds, causing minor injuries like cuts and bruises.   In addition to the 33 injured, the Jacksonville plant explosion killed four workers at T2 Laboratories.  

The explosion at T2 Laboratories occurred 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 19.  Witnesses to the Jacksonville plant explosion reported seeing a bright flash followed by a tremendous explosion. The blast was massive enough to blow open doors at a hotel several miles away, and shattered the windows of buildings nearby. Flames and a plume of smoke formed by the T2 Laboratories explosion shot at least 20 feet into the air, and could be seen for miles around.

T2 Laboratories makes gasoline additives and chemical solvents, and the chemicals used at the plant made the environment “incredibly dangerous for the first responders,” according to one Jacksonville Fire Department official. The official told the Associated Press that “explosions were generating all kinds of side brush fires and other kinds of blazes.” More than 70 firefighters and every hazardous-materials unit in Jacksonville reported to the scene, and crews used foam and other chemicals to fight the blaze.

Earlier this month, Robert Hall,  the head of the US Chemical Safety Board team investigating the Jacksonville plant explosion had called it among the most powerful ever examined” by the 10-year-old board.  The blast was equivalent to the detonation of a ton of TNT, and most likely resulted from a runaway chemical reaction in an overheated chemical  mixing chamber, investigators said at the time.

A liquid solution of methylcyclopentadiene was being mixed with metallic sodium inside the plant’s mixing chamber.  Vapors from methylcyclopentadiene can ignite at 80 degrees, according to safety warnings for the chemical solution. An employee at a nearby sandblasting company who witnessed the T2 Laboratories explosion previously told a Jacksonville newspaper that a pipe ruptured at the top of a tower on the property and a white cloud appeared before the explosion.   At the  January 4 press conference,  Hall said that rupture was caused by mounting pressure inside the chamber, which was designed to withstand force equal to “several thousand pounds” per square inch. When the chamber blew apart, pieces weighing hundreds of pounds were thrown up to a quarter-mile away.  Hall said a huge fire that followed the explosion started when chemicals in the broken chamber were exposed to heat and oxygen

Four T2 Laboratories workers - co-owner Scott Gallagher and workers Karey Renard Henry Sr., Parrish Lamar Ashley and Charles Budds Bolchoz – died as a result of the Jacksonville plant explosion.  People as far 750 feet away from the site of the Jacksonville plant explosion needed medical treatment, and buildings as far as 1,000 feet away sustained damage. At least three nearby businesses had buildings that city inspectors effectively closed because of their extensive damage.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13619 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13619 Jacksonville plant explosion at T2 Laboratories produced a blast equivalent to the detonation of a ton of TNT, and most likely resulted from an overheated chemical chamber, investigators from the US Chemical Safety Board said yesterday.   That steel cylindrical chamber, which stood 14 feet tall, was being used to mix chemicals for an ingredient in Ecotane, an octane-boosting gasoline additive that T2 Laboratories made at the Jacksonville plant.

The explosion at T2 Laboratories occurred 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 19.  Witnesses to the Jacksonville plant explosion reported seeing a bright flash followed by a tremendous explosion. The blast was massive enough to blow open doors at a hotel several miles away, and shattered the windows of buildings nearby. Flames and a plume of smoke formed by the T2 Laboratories explosion shot at least 20 feet into the air, and could be seen for miles around.

T2 Laboratories makes gasoline additives and chemical solvents, and the chemicals used at the plant made the environment “incredibly dangerous for the first responders,” according to one Jacksonville Fire Department official. The official told the Associated Press that “explosions were generating all kinds of side brush fires and other kinds of blazes.” More than 70 firefighters and every hazardous-materials unit in Jacksonville reported to the scene, and crews used foam and other chemicals to fight the blaze.

The US Chemical Safety Board is charged with investigating what one member said "was among the most powerful ever examined" by the 10-year-old board.  A liquid solution of methylcyclopentadiene was being mixed with metallic sodium inside the plant’s mixing chamber.  Vapors from methylcyclopentadiene can ignite at 80 degrees, according to safety warnings for the chemical solution. An employee at a nearby sandblasting company who witnessed the T2 Laboratories explosion previously told a Jacksonville newspaper that a pipe ruptured at the top of a tower on the property and a white cloud appeared before the explosion.   Robert Hall, lead investigator for the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, said that rupture was caused by mounting pressure inside the chamber, which was designed to withstand force equal to "several thousand pounds" per square inch. When the chamber blew apart, pieces weighing hundreds of pounds were thrown up to a quarter-mile away.  Hall said a huge fire that followed the explosion started when chemicals in the broken chamber were exposed to heat and oxygen

Four T2 Laboratories employees - co-owner Scott Gallagher and workers Karey Renard Henry Sr., Parrish Lamar Ashley and Charles Budds Bolchoz – died as a result of the Jacksonville plant explosion.  At least 14 people were taken to hospitals, and one company employee remains hospitalized. People as far 750 feet away from the site of the Jacksonville plant explosion needed medical treatment, and buildings as far as 1,000 feet away sustained damage. At least three nearby businesses had buildings that city inspectors effectively closed because of their extensive damage.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13574 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13574 T2 Laboratories explosion have said that something went wrong while octane booster was being mixed at the Jacksonville, Florida chemical plant.

The explosion at T2 Laboratories occurred 1:30 p.m. on December 19.  Witnesses to the Jacksonville plant explosion reported seeing a bright flash followed by a tremendous explosion. The explosion was massive enough to blow open doors at a hotel several miles away, and shattered the windows of buildings nearby. Flames and a plume of smoke formed by the T2 Laboratories explosion shot at least 20 feet into the air, and could be seen for miles around.  The blast was so violent that safety officers were inspecting earthquake-like damage to surrounding businesses to see if and when they will be allowed to reopen.

T2 Laboratories makes gasoline additives and chemical solvents, and the chemicals used at the plant made the environment “incredibly dangerous for the first responders,” according to one Jacksonville Fire Department official. The official told the Associated Press that “explosions were generating all kinds of side brush fires and other kinds of blazes.” More than 70 firefighters and every hazardous-materials unit in Jacksonville reported to the scene, and crews used foam and other chemicals to fight the blaze. Police cordoned off the area near Faye Road, closed off highway exits to the site and set about evacuating office workers from the city’s industrial section. Both the fire fighting efforts and the evacuation lasted for several hours.  The fire from the Jacksonville plant explosion was so intense that two of the dead could not be recovered until the following day.

Six federal agencies, led by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, are investigating the T2 Laboratories explosion.   Those investigators have been joined by Jacksonville homicide detectives and the Florida Fire Marshall’s office.  While it will likely be months before a final cause of the Jacksonville explosion is determined, Florida Senator Bill Nelson told media outlets that problems with a chemical mixing process is being eyed as a prime suspect.  Nelson said that investigators told him that something went wrong while octane booster was being mixed at the chemical plant.  "This octane booster ... is a fairly stable product, but to get to it, you use these highly energetic chemicals," Nelson told a Jacksonville TV station. "A lot of heat is generated and a chemical process starts that can get in a runaway condition."

The explosion and resulting fire at T2 Laboratories killed four people and injured 14 others.  Robert Scott Gallagher, co-owner of the facility, was among the dead. Also killed were Charles Budds Bolchoz, 48; Karey Renard Henry, 35; and Parrish Lamar Ashley, 36.  

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13541 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13541 T2 Laboratories explosion in Jacksonville, Florida that killed four people has not yet been determined.   The explosion yesterday left another 14 people injured, and resulted in the evacuation of a half mile area around the plant  amid fears that the explosion spilled toxic chemicals into the air.   An investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board was expected to arrive at the site of the Jacksonville plant explosion today. The agency investigates chemical accidents and makes safety recommendations to government regulators.

The explosion at T2 Laboratories occurred 1:30 p.m. yesterday.  Witnesses to the Jacksonville plant explosion reported seeing a bright flash followed by a tremendous explosion.    The explosion was massive enough to blow open doors at a hotel several miles away, and shattered the windows of buildings nearby.   Flames and a plume of smoke formed by the T2 Laboratories explosion shot at least 20 feet into the air, and could be seen for miles around.

T2 Laboratories makes gasoline additives and chemical solvents, and the chemicals used at the plant made the environment "incredibly dangerous for the first responders," according to one Jacksonville Fire Department official.   The official told the Associated Press that "explosions were generating all kinds of side brush fires and other kinds of blazes.”   More than 70 firefighters and every hazardous-materials unit in Jacksonville reported to the scene, and crews used foam and other chemicals to fight the blaze.  Police cordoned off the area near Faye Road, closed off highway exits to the site and set about evacuating office workers from the city’s industrial section.  Both the fire fighting efforts and the evacuation lasted for several hours.

The T2 Laboratories plant is located across the street from the JEA power generating facility, and the Jacksonville plant explosion knocked out two of the power plant’s three generating units.   Management at JEA said that the damage caused by the explosion was not permanent, and they did not anticipate any service interruptions.  However, all non-essential personnel at JEA had been evacuated as a precaution.

Hospitals in Jacksonville were put on mass-casualty alert and local television reporters said they saw several rescue units leaving the scene with lights and sirens.  Four people where confirmed dead as a result of the Jacksonville plant explosion, and 14 others were injured.  All employees at the T2 Laboratories facility were accounted for by evening, and hospitals reported one patient in critical condition, three fair and five good. Conditions for the rest were unknown or it wasn't clear where they were treated.  Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton told the Associated Press that it was miraculous that the loss of life was not greater, considering the damage done to the T2 Laboratories plant.  "Nothing there resembles a building," Mayor Peyton said. "It's amazing when you see the scene that there wasn't more loss of life."


]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13536 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13536 explosion and fire at T2 Laboratories in Jacksonville, Florida has resulted in the deaths of at least 3 people, and left several others injured.  According to television news reports, T2 Laboratories produces  gasoline additives and chemical solvents, and there was concern that toxic chemicals could endanger people in close proximity to the plant.

Dozens of fire and rescue crews where battling what one official called a “hellish inferno” at T2 Laboratories located along Faye Road in an industrial area on the waterfront in north Jacksonville.  More than 70 firefighters and every hazardous-materials unit in Jacksonville was reportedly at the scene, and crews where using foam and other chemicals to fight the blaze.  Police cordoned off the area near Faye Road, closed off highway exits to the site and set about evacuating office workers from the city's industrial section.  A half-mile area around the T2 Laboratories was being evacuated as a safety measure.

Witnesses to the T2 Laboratories explosion reported hearing a loud boom around 1:30 p.m. accompanied by a flash and followed by a mushroom cloud of smoke.   Buildings shook, and people in the area described windows shattering and light bulbs being shaken out of their sockets from the impact of the blast.  Employees at a Holiday Inn several miles from the T2 Laboratories site reported that large doors at the hotel where blown off their hinges as a result of the blast.   Other witnesses reported that fire and smoke from the explosion shot 20 feet into the air, and could be seen from miles around.

The T2 Laboratories plant is located across the street from the JEA power generating facility, and the explosion knocked out two of the power plant’s three generating units.   Management at JEA said that the damage caused by the explosion was not permanent, and they did not anticipate any service interruptions.  However, all non-essential personnel at JEA had been evacuated as a precaution.

Television news reports stated that 3 people where killed in the explosion and 7 others where injured.  Rescue officials refused to confirm those reports, but did say three people where missing.  Originally 6 individuals where said to be missing, but three people were later found. Hospitals in Jacksonville were put on mass-casualty alert and local television reporters said they saw several rescue units leaving the scene with lights and sirens.

According to its website, T2 Laboratories is the world's only supplier of Ecotane, a gasoline additive.  The website said that T2 Labs specializes in the design and manufacture of low environmental impact specialty chemicals that replace conventional toxic and dangerous industrial chemicals.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/T2_Laboratories_Jacksonville_Plant_Explosion Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/T2_Laboratories_Jacksonville_Plant_Explosion T2 Laboratories Jacksonville Plant Explosion
The T2 Laboratories plant in Jacksonville, Florida exploded at 1:30 p.m. on December 19, 2007.   The Jacksonville plant explosion, which resulted in a massive fire, killed four people and injured 14 others.    Witnesses to the Jacksonville plant explosion reported seeing a bright flash followed by a tremendous explosion.    Flames and a plume of smoke formed by the T2 Laboratories explosion shot at least 20 feet into the air, and could be seen for miles around. The explosion was massive enough to blow open doors at a hotel several miles away, and shattered the windows of buildings nearby.  Fears that the T2 Laboratories explosion could have sent a toxic cloud of chemicals into the air resulted in the evacuation of a half-mile area around the plant.

Jacksonville Plant Explosion Deaths and Injuries
Hospitals in Jacksonville were put on mass-casualty alert and local television reporters said they saw several rescue units leaving the scene with lights and sirens.  Four people where confirmed dead as a result of the Jacksonville plant explosion, and 14 others were injured.  Area hospitals reported one patient in critical condition, three fair and five good.

Conditions for the rest of the injured were unknown.
Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton told the Associated Press that it was miraculous that the casualties from the T2 Laboratories explosion were not greater, considering the damage done to the T2 Laboratories plant.  "Nothing there resembles a building," Mayor Peyton said. "It's amazing when you see the scene that there wasn't more loss of life."

T2 Laboratories Plant Explosion Sparks Toxic Chemical Fears
T2 Laboratories produces gasoline additives and chemical solvents.  One fire official told the Associated Press that the chemicals used at the T2 Laboratories plant made the environment "incredibly dangerous for the first responders," according to one Jacksonville Fire Department official.  Concerns that the chemicals emitted by the Jacksonville plant explosion prompted emergency officials to order the evacuation of a half-mile area around the T2 Laboratories plant.  The area remained evacuated for several hours.

Legal Help
If you or a loved one suffered  injuries or damages  as a result of T2 Laboratories plant explosion in Jacksonville, Florida, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation by a qualified attorney.]]>