For more information, go to: Third Coast Investigation Information Page

Washington, DC, April 20, 2007- The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has unanimously voted to designate as "unacceptable" the response by Third Coast Terminals, a south Texas petroleum products manufacturer, to a four-year-old Board safety recommendation that followed a catastrophic 2002 fire at the company's plant near Friendswood, Texas.

This was the first CSB safety recommendation to be issued the status of "Closed-Unacceptable Response" in the Board's nine-year history.

In March 2003, the CSB issued its final investigation report on a major fire that began on May 1, 2002, at the Third Coast Industries petroleum products Friendswood facility, south of Houston. One hundred nearby residents were evacuated, a local school was closed, and significant environmental cleanup was necessary due to firewater runoff. The facility was never rebuilt but the parent company, Third Coast Terminals, continues to operate from a facility in nearby Pearland.

The Friendswood facility, located in Brazoria County, blended and packaged motor oils and other automotive products, but was not designed or equipped to prevent the spread of fire, the CSB determined. The fire ultimately consumed 1.2 million gallons of combustible and flammable liquids and destroyed the site. The CSB investigation found that the facility lacked fire detection and suppression equipment and was not designed to contain the spread of even a small fire. The plant had no smoke or heat detectors, sprinklers, or fire alarms, nor was the plant designed to contain or safely drain burning liquids. There was no supply of firefighting water at the plant. Blending tank supports were not fireproofed. Finally, warehouse buildings lacked firewalls and were built too close together. The Board said that the installation of fire protection systems could have prevented the total loss of the plant.

In its final report, the Board recommended that Third Coast Terminals audit its Pearland, Texas facility and take action to ensure the facility's fire suppression and control procedures meet relevant standards under the National Fire Code (NFPA 30) and the OSHA flammable and combustible liquids standard (CFR 1910.106).

In correspondence to the CSB, Third Coast representatives state that the company disputed the conclusions of the CSB investigation, and the company did not provide any evidence that it has implemented the CSB's safety recommendation. The Board voted to designate Third Coast Terminals' response "unacceptable" and the recommendation was closed.

CSB Chairman Carolyn W. Merritt said, "Having to close this safety recommendation as 'unacceptable' causes us significant concern. This was a serious fire that threatened the community of Friendswood and caused the loss of an important employer. The Board made reasonable and prudent recommendations to prevent possible recurrences. We were extremely pleased when Brazoria County, responding to one of the Board's recommendations, immediately adopted a fire code covering unincorporated areas. However, companies also need to act promptly to enact the Board's recommendations, which will protect their workforces and the communities in which they operate."

Since 1998, the Board has issued over 450 safety recommendations and closed 223 recommendations to recipients that include plants, corporations, industry and standards organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies.

The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.

The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Visit our website, www.csb.gov.

For more information, contact: Public Affairs Specialists Hillary Cohen (202) 261-3601 or Jennifer Jones (202) 261-3603.