A recent article in The Boston Globe highlights some developments with the Danversport Trust, started on June 1, 2007 when it was approved by Judge John Casey. The trust has been established as a means for those who were effected by the November 2006 warehouse explosion  (occupied by CAI, Inc. and Arnel Co.) to “negotiate a group settlement against any party found responsible.” The explosion caused over $20 million in damage and displaced many families whose homes were either severely damaged or destroyed.

So far, authorities have not found either CAI or Arnel responsible for the explosion. According to officials, the explosion was most likely caused by the ignition of chemical vapors from an unknown source. Final reports have not yet been made available. Some members of the community, however, are planning to band together and hire their own team of experts to find out what really happened. One possibility is the presence of natural gas in the building structure; however, there is not yet any evidence of that.

Jan Schlichtmann, the attorney representing The Danversport Trust, says that once findings are released concerning the cause of the explosion the trust will then have a better idea of who to approach regarding settlement negotiations. “If a settlement is reached, the money would be paid into the trust” and the beneficiaries of that trust would be the property owners whose property was effected by the explosion. The trust is also accepting private donations which, thus far, exceed $7,000. Based upon the needs of each beneficiary (so far there are over 200, including minor children), the money in the trust will be distributed under a benefits plan, with some money also being used “for the long-term improvement of Danversport.”

While some property owners have already reached monetary settlements with their insurance companies, a great number of them have yet to return to their homes and businesses. Out of 70 homes and businesses that were severely damaged or destroyed by the explosion, more than half of them are still being repaired and/or rebuilt.

The Boston Globe: “Victims form trust for settlement”

As reported in the Danvers Herald, on July 5, 2007 the Danvers Board of Selectmen received letters from both Arnel Co., Inc. and CAI, Inc. in which the companies voluntarily gave up their chemical license to “store, manufacture and sell chemicals and combustibles” on the property where their warehouse once stood but was completely destroyed by an explosion on November 22, 2006. The Board of Selectmen had scheduled a public hearing for July 17, 2007 as a result of community protest in response to the May 1, 2007 re-registration of the companies’ chemical license. Since the companies have voluntarily surrendered their license, the question remains whether or not the Board of Selectmen can legally accept the letters. The law states that in order for a license to be revoked from the land to which it is attached “there must be an imminent public safety risk, it has to have been abandoned for three years, or there must be ‘cause.’” Since it is still not clear whether the letters will be accepted, Chairman of the Board Michael Powers has said that the Board will proceed with the hearing unless the town counsel finds that the letters are sufficient.

Even though Arnel and CAI have voluntarily surrendered their chemical license, representatives for the companies maintain that they are in no way “admitting any liability in the incident of Nov. 22, 2006.” Representatives explain that the companies’ actions are for the greater good of the community, and there is even talk of trying to develop the now empty land into something more suitable and beneficial for the neighborhood.

On July 24, 2007 the Danvers Planning Board will hold a meeting to discuss the industrial zone and how it can be developed so as to be more “user-friendly”. One member of SAFE expresses her concerns that more needs to be done to regulate industrial zones that abut residential properties.

The article also discussed the growing number of families that have returned to their homes since the Nov. 22, 2006 explosion. Initially, 70 families were displaced but, as of July 11, 37 families have moved back into their homes. That number is slowing increasing as there are crews continuing to repair and rebuild homes that were effected by—or even destroyed by—the explosion.

Click here to read the full Danvers Herald article.

Safe Area For Everyone (S.A.F.E.) is a non-profit, volunteer organization that was formed as a result of the Nov. 22, 2006 Danvers explosion. Below is a link to the S.A.F.E. website where information regarding the Danversport Trust as well as S.A.F.E. projects can be accessed.

Safe Area For Everyone

The Daily News of Newburyport ran an article about the hearing that is scheduled to take place on July 17, 2007 where selectman will decide whether or not to revoke the license of Arnel Company and CAI, Inc., two chemical companies (manufacturing paint and ink, respectively) whose violations of federal and state safety laws resulted in an explosion which caused over $22 million in damage in Danversport. The selectman have called for such a hearing as a result of residential outrage that the town processed a “certificate of registration” on May 1 which allows the companies to maintain their license to store, sell and manufacture up to 11,500 gallons of flammables and combustibles. It was the companies’ violation of safety standards in dealing with such materials that lead to the explosion in the first place, therefore public opposition to the registration and license is expected. The hearing will be open to the public and it will serve as the first opportunity for residents effected by the explosion (over 150 home and business owners) to hear directly from the companies and/or their representatives.

Click here to read the full article.

The Danvers Herald published an article discussing citations issued by OSHA to Arnel Company and CAI, Inc. for a combined 23 violations of safety standards and possibly $32,000 in fines (combined), which caused the Nov. 22 warehouse explosion that displaced 68 families and caused approximately $22 million in damage to surrounding homes and businesses. According to OSHA, both companies failed to take proper ventilation measures in dealing with flammable vapors; other violations included improper piping, failure to adequately train employees on proper safety measures, lack of safety and health programs for employees, and improper transfer of flammable liquids. The citations were issued on May 21, 2007 and both Arnel and CAI are given 15 business days to respond, making a June 12, 2007 deadline.

For the full article click here.