1-5-23 feds: lack of safeguards led to superior explosion

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Federal regulators have determined that a lack of safeguards during a maintenance shutdown contributed to an explosion at an oil refinery in Superior. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released a final report last week on the April 2018 explosion at the refinery. The blast injured 36 workers and forced 2,500 residents to evacuate over fears of a hydrofluoric acid leak. The CSB report found that the refinery was shutting down a gasoline-making unit for maintenance when the explosion occurred. The report says workers didn’t understand how to shut down operations.