Investigator: Sugar refinery had small dust explosion weeks before fatal blast

SAVANNAH, Ga. - A federal investigator says dust in a piece of safety equipment caused a small explosion at a Port Wentworth sugar refinery weeks before sugar dust beneath the plant's silos ignited to cause a deadly blast that killed nine workers.

Stephen Selk, investigations manager for the U-S Chemical Safety Board, had few details about the previous explosion at the Imperial Sugar refinery. He could not say whether the earlier blast contributed to the massive explosion on February Seventh.

Selk told reporters today that no one was injured in the earlier explosion.

The Chemical Safety Board investigates industrial accidents for the federal government and makes safety recommendations to industry and trade groups as well as federal regulators.

It has just begun looking into the refinery blast after criminal investigators determined Friday the explosion was accidental caused by clouds of tiny sugar dust particles that, when airborne in confined spaces, can ignite like gunpowder.