Savannah sugar plant's safety criticized after deadly explosion

SAVANNAH -- There was no evacuation plan at the Imperial Sugar refinery when it blew up last year, a whistle-blower witness has testified.

Nor was there a working fire alarm at the Port Wentworth plant, former Imperial executive Graham H. Graham said.

The Feb. 7, 2008, explosion and fire at the plant killed 14 people and injured scores of others. At least 20 of the dead and injured had severe burns and were treated at Augusta's Joseph M. Still Burn Center.

Graham made the contentions last Oct. 14 in a sworn statement to lawyers in connection with civil lawsuits stemming from the disaster. A transcript of his testimony has been obtained by the Savannah Morning News.

"There were no evacuation procedures in place," Graham said. "And what that requires is a fire alarm that works. And we didn't have one that works."

Training employees "in how safely to get out" and giving them access to flashlights in case the lights went out also would have helped, he said.

Graham, a former Imperial vice president, is a key witness in lawsuits and a federal case against the company.

The U.S. government is seeking to fine it $8.8 million for alleged safety violations at Port Wentworth and at Imperial's plant in Gramercy, La. The company is appealing.