Settlement Reached in GA Refinery Blast Lawsuit

Imperial Sugar has reached a settlement with federal regulators seeking to fine the company for safety violations after a 2008 explosion at its Georgia refinery killed 14 workers near Savannah.

One of  the workers killed was from Dalton, Georgia.
      Occupational Safety and Health Administration spokesman Michael Wald said details of the settlement would be released Wednesday.
      It's been nearly two years since OSHA proposed $8.7 million in fines against Texas-based Imperial Sugar for more than 200 safety violations at its plants in Georgia and Gramercy, La. The company contested the fines and citations, leading to long settlement talks.
      The Feb. 7, 2008, explosion killed 14 workers and injured 36. Investigators determined that dangerous levels of sugar dust accumulated inside the plant and ignited like gunpowder.