Harrisburg, June 20, 2016 − State Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia/Delaware) issued the following statement expressing his concern about the coordination of the multi-level investigation of last week’s explosion at a Christian Street steam plant in Philadelphia.
The explosion at the Veolia Energy Plant is being investigated by federal, state and city agencies. According to published reports, all employees were safely evacuated from the site and there were two minor injuries.
Williams said he is pleased that a variety of government agencies are investigating the incident but it was important for the final report to be comprehensive and include “corrective actions” that could be employed in order to prevent another similar incident.
The investigation is, reportedly, a combined effort with the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), state Public Utility Commission and the city’s Department of Labor and Industry.
Williams’ statement follows:
“Our first priority is to protect lives and prevent future explosions of this type. We can do that if we understand the underlying cause of the blast and follow up on recommendations for corrective actions. We were fortunate that there were not any serious injuries or deaths.
“There is a multi-level government investigation underway and I have confidence that the agencies involved will find answers to key questions about the explosion. However, given the overlap in responsibilities among the governmental entities, I am concerned about the coordination of the investigation.
“I will continue to monitor the investigation and be prepared to take action on recommendations contained in the final report.”
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