1998 — Dec 11, Explosion, Independence Professional Fireworks Co., Osseo, MI — 7

— 7  MI CIS. “Fireworks Safety — Independence Fireworks.” MI OSHA News, 3/3, Fall 1999, p3.

— 7  NYT. “National News Briefs; Blasts at Fireworks Plant Leaves 7 People Missing.” 12-12-1998.

Narrative Information

MI CIS: “Independence Fireworks. On Dec. 11, 1998, seven workers died in an explosion at Independence Professional Fireworks in Osseo, Michigan. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) licenses explosives manufacturers, and ATF was the lead investigator in the causes of this tragedy. A subsequent explosion occurred at the same location Monday, March 29, 1999, killing five more workers, including the owners.

“On April 1, 1999, Consumer & Industry Services (CIS) Director Kathy Wilbur announced that Independence Professional Fireworks was cited for 23 alleged worker safety violations with proposed penalties of more than $562,500. The complex, three-month-long investigation of the first explosion identified 23 willful, serious and other violations of worker safety rules….

“Under Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act (MIOSHA) rules, manufacturers of explosives have responsibilities concerning the use of explosive chemicals. MIOSHA’s Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (PSM) of 1993 was designed to help prevent catastrophic accidents, when complied with by employers. Company management was made aware of the PSM standard in 1994, but did not implement the life-saving procedures. ‘MIOSHA promulgated this standard specifically because work with highly hazardous chemicals requires stringent and detailed safeguards to protect workers…’

“ATF, the State Police Fire Marshal Division and MIOSHA all conducted investigations of both explosions. Independence Professional Fireworks voluntarily surrendered its license to ATF after the second explosion. The cause and origin of the first explosion [1998] could not be determined by ATF and MSP because of the lack of any surviving witnesses and the total destruction of the building (Building 15).” (MICIS. “Fireworks Safety — Independence Fireworks.” MI OSHA News, Vol. 3, No. 3, Fall 1999, pp. 3 & 20.)

NYT: “Osseo, Mich., Dec. 11 — An explosion destroyed a fireworks factory here in southern Michigan this afternoon, leaving seven workers missing and 13 with injuries of mostly smoke inhalation, officials said. The explosion, at the Independence Professional Fireworks Company, sent a huge cloud of smoke into the sky and could be heard for at least 20 miles. The plant is southeast of Hillsdale near the Michigan state line with Ohio and Indiana and about 90 miles southwest of Detroit. The factory employs 20 to 25 people, said Sheriff Stan Burchardt of Hillsdale County, but he added that was not sure how many people were on the property at the time. The seven missing people were all in the building when it exploded this afternoon, he said. Sheriff Stan Burchardt said 12 people had been treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and one had been taken to a hospital.

Sources

Michigan Consumer & Industry Services, Bureau of Safety & Regulation. “Fireworks Safety — Independence Fireworks.” MI OSHA News (Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Act), Vol. 3, No. 3, Fall 1999, pp. 3 & 20, Lansing, MI. Accessed 12-19-2015 at: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/CIS_WSH_minwsf99_27783_7.pdf

New York Times. “National News Briefs; Blasts at Fireworks Plant Leaves 7 People Missing.” 12-12-1998. Accessed 12-20-2015 at: http://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/12/us/national-news-briefs-blast-at-fireworks-plant-leaves-7-people-missing.html