World News Explosion rips through Texas refinery

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TEXAS CITY (AP) - A thunderous explosion tore through a BP oil refinery March 23, leaving at least 14 dead and more than 100 injured.

The blast left a gaping hole in the earth, mangled nearby offices, and was so powerful that witnesses said it rattled homes as far as seven kilometers away.

The explosion occurred in a part of the plant used to boost the octane level of gasoline. The cause of the explosion is not known.

About 433,000 barrels of crude oil are processed a day at the plant, producing 3 percent of the U.S. supply. The massive plant, which has 30 refineries, employs about 1,800 people.

A refinery explosion forced the evacuation of the same plant for several hours last March. Later, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined the refinery $63,000 (¥6.69 million) for safety violations, including problems with its emergency shutdown system and employee training.

OSHA also fined the refinery after two employees were burned to death by superheated water in September.

米 BP の製油所で爆発事故

テキサス州にある石油製油所で3月23日、爆発事故が発生し、少なくとも14人が死亡し、100人以上がけがをした。

Shukan ST: April 1, 2005

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