CTA Report, Draft 1, ISP Review - US Chemical Safety and Hazard ...

5.4 Incident Aftermath
The CTA incident was the deadliest workplace accident in Kentucky since 1989, when an explosion at the
Union County coal mine killed 10 people. The following bullets describe the injuries and fatalities that
occurred at CTA:
• On the days following February 20, 2003, 14 people were transferred from the Corbin
medical center to hospitals with advanced burn treatment units—University of Kentucky in
Lexington, University of Louisville, and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
• Eleven of these 14 injured were in critical condition.
• The first of seven fatalities occurred on February 23 and the last on April 11. All seven
workers died from second- and third-degree burns or medical complications as a result of
burn injuries.
• The other four critically injured workers required surgery or spent many weeks of treatment
in burn units.
• Of the 30 employees who suffered minor injuries, including burns, cuts, bruises, and smoke
inhalation, three had injuries serious enough to be sent to burn treatment units.
Due to the physical damage to the facility, CTA built a new facility in the Corbin area at a reported cost
of $56 million. CTA stated that the new facility was designed in accordance with National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) 654 (Appendix D.1), but CSB has not verified this new design. The new
plant began operation in 2004—but with about 300 fewer employees, a result of business lost following
the incident.
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