A massive explosion last night at the Bayer CropScience Plant in Institute, West Virginia (about 10 miles outside of Charleston) killed one worker and injured another. The Charleston Gazette reported that worker Barry Withrow was killed and an unnamed worker was transported to a burn center in Pittsburgh. The complete story is here.
Chemicals that were reported as involved in the explosion were dimethyl disulfide, methylisobutylketone and hexane. The article notes that all three of these are “harmful irritants.” In addition to the possible chemical problems, residents felt the explosion as far as two miles away.
The article reports that the plant is owned by German company Bayer, who purchased it in late 2001. The plant also makes large amounts of methyl isocyanate, or MIC, the chemical responsible for the deaths of thousands of people in Bhopal, India after a leak at that plant.
This story highlights the danger faced by residents and workers in the chemical valley area of Charleston. If you or a loved one have been injured in an industrial accident or believe that you have been exposed to toxic chemicals, you should talk to an experienced industrial accident attorney about your rights. Rist Law Offices offers free consultations to chemical and industrial accident victims. Contact us by calling toll free at 866-982-5299 to discuss your case.
[...] months. The infamous chemical valley has had several incidents recently. These have included an explosion in Institute, West Virginia at the Bayer CropScience plant, an ammonia leak near Carbon, West Virginia, and a gas blow-off stack fire in [...]