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1997 BPS Chemical Plant Explosion

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1997 BPS Chemical Plant Explosion On May 8, 1997, at just about 1:15 p.m., an enormous explosion and fire happened at Unit Two of the Bartlo Packaging Incorporated (BPS) facility sited in West Helena, Arkansas. Three West Helena firefighters were killed as a result of the explosion and fire. An additional seventeen firefighters needed medical attention because of heat exhaustion and injuries during the response. According to the EPA/OSHA Joint Accident Investigation Program report, “The Unit Two structure was completely destroyed. Hundreds of residents and patients at a local hospital were either evacuated or sheltered-in-place. The Mississippi river traffic and major roads were closed for approximately twelve hours due to the release of toxic materials from the facility.” …show more content…
They followed their established procedures and everyone evacuated the building. The company placed an emergency call to local emergency response groups. In just minutes the West Helena Fire Department (WHFD) responded to the scene. A team of four firefighters was just outside the Unit Two warehouse when an explosion occurred, fatally injuring three of the firefighters and seriously injuring the fourth one. At 5:00 p.m., the National Response Center notified EPA that the incident was out of control and required federal assistance. Various companies, including but not limited to, Mobay Chemical, DuPont, and Bayer sent representatives to the site to offer voluntary assistance. DuPont also deployed its HazMat team to deliver emergency response support. Eventually the evacuation was downgraded to stand-by status and local authorities gave evacuees in the two-mile radius permission to return to their

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