Company's Safety Record Eyed After Blast

BOSTON -- An early-morning explosion Wednesday at the CAI chemical plant in Danvers was so massive that it was felt in York County, Maine.

NewsCenter 5's Kelley Tuthill checked OSHA records and confirmed that CAI, which has locations in Georgetown and Danvers, has a good safety record.

OHSA last inspected CAI 16 years ago. Since then, there have been no accidents, complaints or investigations.

The ink manufacturer issued a statement Wednesday detailing a 2001 safety upgrade at the Danvers facility, including a fire sprinkler system designed to suppress chemical fires.

The Georgetown Fire Department did an inspection of the company's headquarters after residents called worried about their safety. The chief said there were no problems found at the facility, which houses flammable materials such as ethanol, ammonia and alcohol.

The Danvers site also housed the Arnel Co. -- a painting and coating manufacturer. The company had no comment when Team 5 Investigates called, but OSHA reported no problems with the business.

It is still unclear what caused the massive explosion. There is an Eastern Propane facility close to the plant, but the company said its tanks were secure.

The explosion site is located just 300 feet away from a natural gas pipeline. A spokeswoman for the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline said the company has been on scene since early Wednesday morning, and there was no damage found during a leak survey.

A spokesman for the fire marshal said the investigation into a cause won't begin until the scene is secure enough. That's expected to be on Friday.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board plans to assess the site Friday to determine if a full investigation is needed.