Incident Report

Subject:             Cause of Biodiesel Explosion Still Unknown      

Date of Email report:   Thu 17/05/2012

Report Detail:

MASON CITY, Iowa - Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused an explosion at a Mason City biodiesel plant. The Mason City Fire Department says experts in the biodiesel field were at Soy Energy in Mason City Wednesday, trying to figure out how a methanol tank exploded. That explosion happened just before 6 p.m. Tuesday. It created a small fire inside the facility which was put out by the sprinkler system. The fire department stayed on the scene until around 5:30 Wednesday morning, making sure nearby tanks didn't explode as well. The following is a statement released Wednesday by Jeff Oestmann, Soy Energy CEO and General Manager:
 
“We are grateful no one was injured in the fire that took place at the Soy Energy plant yesterday. We are still investigating the exact cause, but know it originated in a tank inside a restricted area. Our employees initiated a phenomenal response. They followed their training to the letter, evacuating the building safely and immediately notifying the fire department. We believe we have put into place the most highly skilled, experienced workers that make up the Soy Energy team, and I’m very proud of the professionalism with which they handled the situation. “We have called together a team of experts who are at the plant today to investigate what may have caused the incident. We are also working proactively with local officials and the fire department to determine the cause, and thank them for their quick response. Damage was minimal, essentially limited to one tank. After the investigation is complete and the tank repaired, we should be back up and running. “Biodiesel is the safest fuel to use, handle and store. However, the production process does involve hazardous chemicals, like methanol, which is why it should only be produced by trained workers in a commercial setting. Safety is our first priority, and we are in the final stages of becoming an accredited plant under the biodiesel industry’s voluntary BQ-9000 quality assurance program. We want to reassure the community that our plant is a safe, state-of-the-art facility. We provide 40 jobs, making valuable contributions to the area economy as well as our nation’s energy security.”

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