US chemical tank disasters remain rare despite recent incidents, experts say

Tragedy in Washington and near-miss in California cast in sharp relief the risk of chemical spills and explosions For several tense days last week, tens of thousands of southern California residents were left wondering whether a 7,000-gallon chemical storage tank would either explode or spill out into the streets. The episode cast in sharp relief the risk of chemical spills and explosions that lurk behind every corner of modern life. The methyl methacrylate that recently left the city of Gard...

By Roque Planas