Combustible Dust Cited by CSB in 2012 Flash Fire at US Ink

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has found that the Oct. 9, 2012 flash fire that burned seven workers at a US Ink plant in East Rutherford, NJ, was the result of an accumulation of combustible dust, vapors and Gilsonite in what the CSB termed a “poorly designed” dust collection system.   The system had been in operation four days before the explosion. The combustible dust accumulated in the ductwork and overheated, causing the flash fire. CSB investigators said the system had not been test...