2009 ConAgra Foods plant explosion

Disaster in Garner, North Carolina February 2025 February 2025 ConAgra Foods plant explosion ConAgra Garner plant explosion.jpg 250px Damage to the plant after the explosion June 9, 2009 11:25 a.m. Garner, North Carolina, U.S. 35.715 N 78.588 W inline Natural gas explosion Indoor natural gas purging 100,000 sq ft damaged; major ammonia release On June 9, 2009, a natural gas explosion occurred at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, United States. Background After World War II, the Jesse Jones Sausage Company constructed a factory in Wake County, North Carolina. General Mills acquired the facility in 1968 and soon thereafter began producing Slim Jims there. The plant came under the control of ConAgra Foods in 1998. By June 2009, the 450000 sqft factory was the only one in the world which produced Slim Jims and employed 900 people, making it the largest employer in the town of Garner. https://www.wunc.org/business-economy/2011-03-31/garner-loses-slim-jim-and-600-jobs-with-it Garner Loses Slim Jim And 600 Jobs With It Inge Leoneda March 31, 2011 WUNC 91.5 WUNC North Carolina Public Radio March 31, 2022 Explosion On June 9, 2009, a contractor from Energy Systems Analysts (ESA) was installing an industrial water heater at the ConAgra plant. The ESA worker attempted to purge the air out of a three-inch pipe meant to supply natural gas to the heater, using natural gas. As per ESA's typical practices, the worker vented the purged gases into the utility room, which was ventilated by a fan.Safety Bulletin 2009 3 Workers struggled to light the heater, so they continued to purge the line over a two-and-a-half-hour period. Plant personnel were aware of the indoor purging, and were using their sense of smell to detect odors to gauge possible gas buildups.Safety Bulletin 2009 3–4 Personnel who entered the utility room and some in the packing room noticed the smell of gas, but were not concerned by it. The gas concentration ultimately surpassed its explosive limit and was ignited at about 11:25 am.Safety Bulletin 2009 4 The explosion damaged 100000 sqft of the facility, concentrated in the southern part of the plant where packing operations were conducted, and triggered a leak from the plant's refrigeration system, causing the release of about 18000 lb of ammonia.Safety Bulletin 2009 3 Emergency responders calculated the ammonia levels at 20 parts per million outside the plant. It also set small fires around the facility grounds. Over 200 workers were inside the plant at the time of the explosion.Safety Bulletin 2009 4 One member of ConAgra's safety team ran back into the plant to rescue a co-worker and was killed by falling debris. https://www.wral.com/scars-finally-healing-decade-after-garner-conagra-plant-explosion/18439992/ Scars finally healing decade after Garner ConAgra plant explosion Burns Matthew June 9, 2019 WRAL-TV Capitol Broadcasting Company March 28, 2022 Plant workers were brought to the Garner Senior Center to regroup. Search and rescue teams entered the building to locate possible survivors in the evening after the fires were extinguished. Shaffer Josh McDonald Thomasi Nagem Sarah ConAgra explosion kills two; dozens hurt: Ammonia fumes drifted over the plant, complicating recovery efforts; badly burned workers are hospitalized. The News & Observer June 10, 2009 In all, three workers were crushed and killed, while 71 people were hospitalized with injuries, including three firefighters who had been exposed to ammonia.Safety Bulletin 2009 3 One worker succumbed to his injuries several months after the explosion. Aftermath thumb|An Amazon distribution center (pictured) was built on the site after the plant was demolished. The explosion was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board. Due to the extent of the damage to the facility, investigators were unable to precisely determine what ignited the explosion. The North Carolina Department of Labor issued a $135,000 fine to ConAgra for 26 health and safety violations and issued a $58,100 fine to ESA. ConAgra reached a settlement with the department, whereby it would pay a fine of $106,440 and agreed to strengthen its safety practices, including reviewing the safety compliance records of contractors. Stradling Richard ConAgra to pay $106,440 fine The News & Observer January 13, 2010 ConAgra reopened the plant six weeks after the incident. Since it could only produce at about half of its original capacity, ConAgra arranged for other facilities to produce Slim Jims. Shaffer Josh Locke Mandy Slim Jim plant to cut 300: ConAgra cites June explosion The News & Observer September 17, 2009 By November, the company had laid off 300 plant workers, and it shuttered the plant in May 2011, moving the rest of its Slim Jim production to a facility in Ohio. The closure deprived Garner of about $55 million in taxable income. https://abc11.com/garner-plant-explosion-conagra-workers-killed/1379227/ 7 years later, Garner recalls deadly ConAgra explosion Athans Elaina June 9, 2016 ABC11 Eyewitness News American Broadcasting Corporation March 28, 2022 ConAgra gifted the plant site to the town of Garner, as well as $2.5 million. The municipality eventually demolished the plant and Amazon built a distribution center on the site. A plaque commemorating those killed was placed at White Deer Park in Garner. Nagem Sarah ConAgra marks somber anniversary The News & Observer June 10, 2010 References Works cited Dangers of Purging Gas Piping into Buildings Safety Bulletin United States Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board September 2009 1–5 https://www.csb.gov/conagra-natural-gas-explosion-and-ammonia-release/ Safety Bulletin 2009 35.715 -78.588 type:event_globe:earth_region:US-NC title Category:Gas explosions in the United States Category:2009 disasters in the United States Category:2009 industrial disasters Category:Disasters in North Carolina Category:2009 in North Carolina Category:History of Wake County, North Carolina Category:Food processing disasters Category:Garner, North Carolina Category:2009 explosions Category:June 2009 in the United States