Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310988712 - Imperial Sugar Company; Imperial-Savannah, L.P.

Inspection Information - Office: Savannah Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:16 p. m. on February 7, 2008, an explosion and fire occurred at the Imperial Sugar Company (doing business as Imperial-Savannah, L.P. or Savannah Food & Industries, Inc.) sugar refinery site in Port Wentworth, GA. The first 911 call was received at approximately 7:17 p.m., while the initial response by local fire and police was initiated at approximately 7:20 p.m. The force of the explosion destroyed or affected three silos 32 meters tall by 12.2 meters in diameter (105 feet tall by 40 feet in diameter) containing refined granulated sugar and the four-story packing houses surrounding the North, South, and East sides of the silos. In addition, heavy fire and/or blast damage was sustained in portions of the refinery area of the plant (East side of the South Packing House), the Palletizing Area (West of packing house), the G.O. Shop/Laboratory/Hog Room building (East of Bosch Packing House), and the Bulk Sugar Building and "J-Bin, which are separate structures from the South packing houses." The explosion resulted in deaths of thirteen employees (including two contract employees) and approximately 28 employees that were hospitalized. Note: the injury line includes 48 workers with 14 killed and 32 hospitalized.

Keywords: AGRICULTURE, FIRE, EXPLOSION, SILO