Runaway Reaction¶
16 CSB investigations document runaway reaction incidents in the U.S. Chemical Safety Board database, spanning 1998–2024 across multiple industry sectors.
Each entry links to a full wiki page with chronological event sequence, root causes, contributing factors, failed safeguards, and official CSB recommendations.
Runaway Reaction Incidents (16)¶
| Incident | Date | Industry | Key Chemicals |
|---|---|---|---|
| T2 Laboratories Inc. Reactive Chemical Explosion | 12/19/2007 | Chemical Manufacturing | Hydrogen, Carbon Monoxide, Hydroxylamine |
| Optima Belle Explosion and Fire | 12/08/2020 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chlorine, Hydrochloric Acid, Caustic Soda |
| DPC Enterprises Glendale Chlorine Release | 11/17/2003 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chlorine, Caustic Soda, Toxic Gas |
| First Chemical Corp. Reactive Chemical Explosion | 10/13/2002 | Chemical Manufacturing | Flammable Liquid, Toxic Gas, Ammonia |
| AirGas Facility Fatal Explosion | 08/28/2016 | Chemical Manufacturing | Toxic Gas |
| Bayer CropScience Pesticide Waste Tank Explosion | 08/28/2008 | Chemical Manufacturing | Flammable Liquid, Toxic Gas |
| Bio-Lab Lake Charles Chemical Fire and Release | 08/27/2020 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chlorine, Toxic Gas |
| Midland Resource Recovery Explosion | 05/24/2017 | Chemical Manufacturing | Natural Gas, Chlorine, Flammable Liquid |
| AB Specialty Silicones, LLC | 05/03/2019 | Chemical Manufacturing | Caustic Soda, Hydrogen, Flammable Gas |
| Kaltech Industries Waste Mixing Explosion | 04/25/2002 | Metals | Nitric Acid, Hydrochloric Acid, Flammable Liquid |
| MFG Chemical Inc. Toxic Gas Release | 04/12/2004 | Chemical Manufacturing | Nitrogen, Caustic Soda, Carbon Monoxide |
| Morton International Inc. Runaway Chemical Reaction | 04/08/1998 | Chemical Manufacturing | Flammable Liquid |
| BP Amoco Thermal Decomposition Incident | 03/13/2001 | Chemical Manufacturing | Flammable Liquid, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen |
| Synthron Chemical Explosion | 01/31/2006 | Chemical Manufacturing | Flammable Liquid, Hydrocarbon Vapor |
| Texas Tech University Chemistry Lab Explosion | 01/07/2010 | Chemical Manufacturing | Flammable Liquid |
| Catalyst Systems Inc. Reactive Chemical Explosion | 01/02/2003 | Chemical Manufacturing | Peroxide |
Related Hazard Types¶
Explosion · Chemical Release · Fire · Overpressure · Structural Failure · Toxic Release
Data sourced from CSB.gov public investigation reports. This site is an independent project not affiliated with the U.S. CSB.