Historical Survey of Major Fires and Explosions in the Process Industries
An examination of the recent trend of losses in the industry is provided. The 20 largest industry losses since 1988 are examined with a brief discussion of the major impacts that occurred to the company or the industry as a result of the event. The lack of a comprehensive database or statistics by the US federal government that encapsulates all of the process industry incidents, analyzed for trends, root causes, etc., is highlighted. What effects these incidents have from the insurance industry and operating company perspectives are explored. A historical comprehensive listing of the major fire and explosion incidents in the process industries is provided for the years 1995 to 2013. A brief description of each incident is provided along with the financial and personal injuries that resulted.