Cause of Imperial Sugar Co. Plant Explosion

The plant explosion injury lawyers at Parker Waichman LLP are investigating the cause of the Imperial Sugar Co. plant explosion. The Imperial Sugar Co. plant explosion started in a silo used to store refined sugar prior to packaging. Although no official cause has yet been assigned, official from the Imperial Sugar Co. told media outlets that they suspected the explosion was the result of a “sugar dust explosion”. Plants where a lot of sugar dust is present are classified by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration as “hazardous locations,” the same classification as coal preparation plants and producers of plastics, medicines and fireworks, according to the OSHA Web site. When sugar dust is aerosolized, it can get ionically charged and ignite from just a bit of static electricity.