NEWBURYPORT, MASS. (WHDH) - An explosion at a chemical plant in Newburyport Thursday morning was not the first incident to happen at the site, officials said.
Rather, officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said they had cited PCI Synthesis, which serves as the parent company for the local company Seqens, for violations in the past.
Speaking on Thursday, state and local officials in Newburyport also said the company has a history of troubling incidents, though this was the worst.
“I would term it as more significant than previous incidents here,” said State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey.
In 2021, a chemical fire prompted a major response and the plant was ordered to temporarily shut down.
Just months earlier, a series of explosions blasted a hole in the roof of the building.
In 2019, OSHA fined PCI for serious violations for “process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals” which are procedures meant to prevent explosions like the one seen Thursday.
OSHA inspectors were back on scene Thursday.
Among others reacting, Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey called the explosion “devastating.”
“We can’t keep excusing companies’ flagrant disregard for worker safety,” the senator said in a tweet.
He added “I’ll be calling on PCI Synthesis and federal regulators to explain what happened.”
Markey later signed a letter alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Seth Moulton asking Seqens for information and answers.
“This explosion is only the latest avoidable disaster at this facility, following years of serious safety violations, multiple fines, and other explosions,” the lawmakers wrote. “We write seeking the explanation as to why this latest incident occurred and how, after years of fines and regulatory enforcement actions, Seqens could have allowed unsafe conditions to persist.”
Newburyport Mayor Sean Reardon said PCI has a history of satisfying federal regulators after past incidents. This time, officials said the situation could be different.
“I’m more concerned with having a proper investigation taking place and deciding if this company should continue to work in our industrial park,” Reardon said. “[T]hey do important work, but it’s incredibly dangerous work as well.”
Fire officials said an initial report of an explosion on Opportunity Way in town came in around 12:45 a.m. Thursday.
Crews soon arrived at the scene, where officials said firefighters found an “industrial-sized vat” from inside the building now in an adjacent parking lot after moving about 30 feet due to the explosion.
Officials said five workers were in the building at the time of the explosion. Of those, four were taken to an area hospital and later released.
The body of a fifth worker was found inside the building around 5:30 p.m., officials announced.
The response to this incident grew to seven alarms, though officials said there are no air quality concerns as a result of this explosion.
Fire officials said Seqens in Newburyport is shut down for the time being while an investigation continues.
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