Imperial Sugar warned 2 days before explosion

Savannah — A newspaper says a consultant warned Imperial Sugar about combustible dust hazards at its Georgia refinery just two days before a deadly explosion devastated the plant near Savannah.

The Savannah Morning News reports in Tuesday’s editions that consultant McAljon Engineering warned of impaired dust collection systems at the refinery in a report dated Feb. 5, 2008. A huge explosion rocked the plant two days later.

Federal investigators later blamed the explosion on sugar dust that ignited like gunpowder. Fourteen workers died and dozens more were injured.

Imperial Sugar, based in Sugar Land, Texas, said it did not receive the consultant’s report until after the explosion.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said last year that records showed Imperial Sugar had been warned several times about combustible dust hazards since 2002.