Four Killed in Illinois Chemical Plant Explosion
Date: 27-Apr-04
Country: USA
Firefighters struggled to contain the blaze at the Formosa Plastics Corp. plant, located in a rural area near Illiopolis that was evacuated in case toxic chemicals were released.
It was unclear what caused the Friday night explosions.
"Last night in a warehouse, the chemicals vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate were being mixed and something set off an explosion. We don't know what," said Sheriff Neil Williamson of the Sangamon County Sheriff's Department in Springfield, Illinois.
Six workers remained hospitalized. The plant employs 138 people and 18 were at the facility when the blasts occurred.
Some residents near the plant returned to their homes after being evacuated. But those within a half-mile radius could not go back due to the fire.
Formosa Plastics Corp., a privately held company, is
associated with the Formosa Plastics Group, a $15 billion global enterprise based in Taiwan.
