Washington, DC, January 25, 2005 - Investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) are en route to the site of this morning's fatal acetylene explosion at a storage facility in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.

Reports indicate that three workers were killed, one other was critically injured, and ten more were transported to the hospital. The explosion occurred shortly before 11 a.m. at the Acetylene Service Co.

Board members Carolyn W. Merritt and Gary L. Visscher will accompany the investigative team and serve as principal CSB spokespersons. Mike Morris is the CSB lead investigator.

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 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. Further information about the CSB is available from www.csb.gov.

Media contacts (New Jersey): Sandy Gilmour 202-251-5496 or Kara Wenzel 202-577-8448.

Media contact (Washington, DC): Daniel Horowitz 202-261-7613 / 202-441-6074 cell.