Environmental Injury

Valley Solvents & Chemicals Plant Explosion

On Thursday, July 28, 2005 a series of explosions rocked a chemical plant in Fort Worth, Texas. The five-alarm fire, which produced a billowing cloud of black smoke visible twenty miles away, started at approximately 1:30 pm near a site where workers were downloading methanol from an 18-wheeler.

The local Star-Telegram (www.dfw.com/mld/dfw) reported, “Three people, including the truck driver who had made the delivery, suffered burns. A plant employee injured his back while diving for cover under a tractor-trailer. And a woman who lives about eight blocks away was taken to a hospital after she began coughing up blood.” One man in the nearby Bonnie Brae neighborhood said that his entire house shook from the explosions.

The exact cause of the fire is under investigation. An Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov) spokeswoman in Dallas said the EPA dispatched an official to the scene with air-monitoring equipment, but their findings are not yet known. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (www.osha.gov) regional office said they would initiate an investigation into whether Valley Solvents & Chemicals was in compliance with safety and health standards.

The Dallas Morning News (www.dallasnews.com) reported that the fire still burned at daybreak on Friday, July 29, and a pungent chemical smell permeated the area.

Dangerous Chemicals
Knight Ridder (www.knightridder.com) reported, “Among the chemicals involved were methanol, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, naphthalene and isopropyl alcohol. Most of the chemicals on fire are considered to be toxic by the federal government. Naphthalene is a known human carcinogen; sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and phosphoric acid are lung irritants.”

Hydrochloric acid, according to the EPA, is a Type III Hazardous Air Pollutant. Sulfuric acid, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registration (www.atsdr.cdc.gov), “can cause burns to the skin, eyes, lungs, and digestive tract. Severe exposure can result in death.”

The substances involved in the fire were stored in huge plastic containers, some of which held 4,000 gallons of chemicals.

What should I do if I was exposed?
Business owners and residents living in nearby neighborhoods of the Fort Worth chemical fire were told to stay indoors with their windows closed and their air conditioners off. However, you may have been exposed to toxic fumes or been otherwise adversely affected by the fire. If you or someone you care about has suffered as a result of the Valley Solvents & Chemicals fire, call our offices immediately for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.


This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute medical or legal advice.

This law firm is not associated with, sponsored by or affiliated with the Star-Telegram, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Dallas Morning News, the Contra Costa Times, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registration or the Valley Solvents & Chemical company.

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