El Dorado Chemical to reopen plant after blast

June 7, 2012 at 9:09 a.m.

by The Associated Press

An El Dorado fire engine leaves the entrance of El Dorado Chemical Company after an explosion and fire at the facility early Tuesday morning, May 15, 2012. One employee was taken to the Medical Center of South Arkansas for medical treatment. No other injuries were reported. Police say no chemicals were released and no evacuations have been called.
An El Dorado fire engine leaves the entrance of El Dorado Chemical Company after an explosion and fire at the facility early Tuesday morning, May 15, 2012. One employee was taken to the Medical Center of South Arkansas for medical treatment. No other injuries were reported. Police say no chemicals were released and no evacuations have been called.

EL DORADO — El Dorado Chemical says it will soon resume operations after last month's explosion at its plant in south Arkansas.

No one was hurt in the May 15 blast at the plant, which produces chemicals for farming and industrial uses. The El Dorado News-Times reports the company plans to partially restart the production of nitric acid and ammonium nitrate in the next month.

It will gradually increase production over the next 90 days.

El Dorado Chemical says its insurance policy requires it to pay a $1 million deductible and wait 30 days to reopen.

The reactor explosion happened at the facility's concentrated nitric acid plant, which officials say is too damaged to repair. The company's general manager says no employees have been laid off because of the blast.

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