Pump Failures and Process Safety Incidents¶
Pumps are ubiquitous in chemical plants and refineries, and seal failures, deadhead conditions, or cavitation can initiate fires, releases, or downstream damage. The CSB investigations listed here document pump-related failures within larger accident sequences.
32 CSB investigations in this database involve pump as a primary or contributing equipment factor, spanning 1998–2024.
Pump Failures and Process Safety Incidents (32)¶
| Incident | Date | Industry | Key Hazard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus Oil and Chemical Tank Explosion | 12/03/2004 | Chemical Manufacturing | Explosion, Fire |
| TPC Port Neches Explosions and Fire | 11/27/2019 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery Chemical Release and Fire | 11/22/2016 | Petroleum Refining | Chemical Release, Fire |
| DPC Enterprises Glendale Chlorine Release | 11/17/2003 | Chemical Manufacturing | Toxic Release, Chemical Release |
| DuPont La Porte Facility Toxic Chemical Release | 11/15/2014 | Chemical Manufacturing | Toxic Release, Chemical Release |
| Barton Solvents Flammable Liquid Explosion and Fire | 10/29/2007 | Chemical Manufacturing | Fire, Explosion |
| Aghorn Operating Inc. Waterflood Station Hydrogen Sulfide Release | 10/26/2019 | Oil And Gas Production | Hydrogen Sulfide Release, Toxic Release |
| First Chemical Corp. Reactive Chemical Explosion | 10/13/2002 | Chemical Manufacturing | Runaway Reaction, Explosion |
| INDSPEC Chemical Corporation Oleum Release | 10/11/2008 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical Release, Toxic Release |
| Formosa Plastics Propylene Explosion | 10/06/2005 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| Xcel Energy Company Hydroelectric Tunnel Fire | 10/02/2007 | Utilities | Fire, Flash Fire |
| Isotec/Sigma Aldrich Nitric Oxide Explosion | 09/21/2003 | Chemical Manufacturing | Explosion, Chemical Release |
| Bio Lab Conyers Chemical Release | 09/14/2020 | Chemical Manufacturing | Thermal Runaway, Toxic Release |
| AirGas Facility Fatal Explosion | 08/28/2016 | Chemical Manufacturing | Explosion, Runaway Reaction |
| Bayer CropScience Pesticide Waste Tank Explosion | 08/28/2008 | Chemical Manufacturing | Runaway Reaction, Explosion |
| Bio-Lab Lake Charles Chemical Fire and Release | 08/27/2020 | Chemical Manufacturing | Runaway Reaction, Toxic Release |
| Cuisine Solutions Ammonia Release | 07/31/2024 | Food Processing | Ammonia Release, Toxic Release |
| Honeywell Chemical Incidents | 07/20/2003 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical Release, Toxic Release |
| CITGO Refinery Hydrofluoric Acid Release and Fire | 07/19/2009 | Petroleum Refining | Fire, Chemical Release |
| Barton Solvents Explosions and Fire | 07/17/2007 | Chemical Manufacturing | Explosion, Fire |
| Dow Louisiana Operations Explosions | 07/14/2023 | Chemical Manufacturing | Explosion, Fire |
| Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Refinery Fire and Explosions | 06/21/2019 | Petroleum Refining | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| AB Specialty Silicones, LLC | 05/03/2019 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| Kaltech Industries Waste Mixing Explosion | 04/25/2002 | Metals | Runaway Reaction, Explosion |
| Giant Industries Refinery Explosions and Fire | 04/08/2004 | Petroleum Refining | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| Loy Lange Box Company Pressure Vessel Explosion | 04/03/2017 | Paper And Pulp | Explosion, Overpressure |
| KMCO LLC Fatal Fire and Explosion | 04/02/2019 | Chemical Manufacturing | Vapor Cloud Explosion, Flash Fire |
| Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) Tank Fire | 03/17/2019 | Petroleum Refining | Fire, Pool Fire |
| Concept Sciences Hydroxylamine Explosion | 02/19/1999 | Chemical Manufacturing | Explosion, Chemical Release |
| Wendland 1H Well Fatal Explosion | 01/29/2020 | Oil And Gas Production | Explosion, Fire |
| Pryor Trust Fatal Gas Well Blowout and Fire | 01/22/2018 | Oil And Gas Production | Explosion, Fire |
| Catalyst Systems Inc. Reactive Chemical Explosion | 01/02/2003 | Chemical Manufacturing | Explosion, Fire |
Related Hazard Types¶
Chemical Release · Fire · Explosion · Toxic Release · Overpressure
Related Equipment¶
Valve Failures in Process Plant Incidents · Pressure Vessel Explosions and Failures · Storage Tank Fires and Explosions · Pipeline Ruptures, Leaks, and Fires · Storage Vessel · Transfer Hose
Data sourced from CSB.gov public investigation reports. This site is an independent project not affiliated with the U.S. CSB.