Koppers Plant Fire
Dec. 4, 1998, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — At
approximately 2:20 p.m. this afternoon Koppers employees were removing
piping from an out-of-service storage tank at the company's coal
tar distillation plant in Clairton, PA when a fire occurred. One
Koppers employee was killed and one employee was injured. Several
individuals responding to the incident were taken to a hospital
for treatment.
Names of individuals involved are being withheld
pending notification of their families. The fire was extinguished
without any release to the environment or process disruption. The
plant is fully operational at this point and the incident has been
stabilized. All appropriate regulatory agencies have been notified.
The company will work with agency personnel and authorities throughout
the investigation.
Kevin J. Fitzgerald, Vice President, Carbon
Materials and Chemicals Division will be available to provide updated
information as soon
as it becomes available. Mr. Fitzgerald said, "we are devastated
by this accident and want to extend our heartfelt sympathies to
the families and friends of those individuals involved."
The
plant was purchased by Koppers from Aristech in 1996. It produces
binder pitch for the aluminum industry.
Further information will
be provided as it becomes available. | 
