Dec 10th, 2006, 12:19 PM
chemical explosion in mass.
Strange report. This happened near my home. I work with a guy who is in the army and has said there's been a rumor circulating in the army that they think it was terror related, among other chemical explosions across the country in recent months.
US considers subpoenas in Danvers explosion probe
By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff |December 5, 2006
A federal agency investigating the Danvers chemical explosion said yesterday that one company is refusing to cooperate with their inquiry and could soon be facing federal subpoenas for names of employees and internal records on chemicals used in the plant.
"They have been cooperative with others, but not us, and I really don't know why," Stephen Selk, manager of investigations for the US Chemical Safety Board, said in a telephone interview from Washington. "Many companies have a policy of being more cooperative. . . . I don't think this is normal at all."
Selk's comments were directed at CAI Inc., a privately held company that manufactured inks. The second company that operated in the cinder-block building on Water Street, paint and coatings maker Arnel Co. Inc., has met Chemical Safety Board requests, the agency said.
The plant exploded about 3 a.m. on Nov. 22, destroying the factory and damaging some 70 houses in the Danversport neighborhood. Hundreds were evacuated, and residents are returning gradually. Investigators have not established what caused the explosion.
A spokeswoman for CAI, Cheryl McLarney, said in a telephone interview that the company has already made employees available for interviews and provided data to the State Fire Marshall's Office, State Police, Danvers fire investigators, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
She said CAI is trying to do the same with the Chemical Safety Board, but has to arrange employee interviews based on needs of the company and the family schedules of affected workers. The company's plant in Danvers was destroyed, but it still has an operating facility in Georgetown.
"We have been talking to the CSB trying to coordinate meetings and interviews with our employees," she said. "To characterize us as uncooperative is just an unfair characterization, frankly. . . . We want to get to the bottom of this."
State Fire Marshall Stephen Coan said his agency has not run into any roadblocks from CAI. "Our office has found CAI to be cooperative in the investigation and has provided any and all material or data that Office of State Fire Marshall has requested," he said.
Michael Nalipinski -- the on-scene coordinator for the US Environmental Protection Agency, which is overseeing the removal of the chemicals -- said he has not had to deal directly with the companies, but has not had any problems.
McLarney also said CAI has hired a battery of fire and explosives specialists who have been on the site and could give the safety board some of the information it wants.
Safety board officials said they recognize that CAI has provided other agencies with information. But they said they need information firsthand, so they can quickly learn if there are public safety lessons from the Danvers explosion that must be put in place nationwide.
"Time is of the essence," said safety board investigator John B. Vorderbrueggen, who is leading the team in Danvers. He said the safety board has tried for a week to speak with CAI employees, but has not yet spoken with any.
© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.
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