West Reading, Pennsylvania – A federal judge has ruled that Pennsylvania utility regulators must provide inspection records to the National Transportation Safety Board for its investigation into a fatal explosion at a chocolate factory last year. The explosion at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant in West Reading on March 24, 2023, resulted in seven fatalities and significant property damage.
The federal safety board had requested five years’ worth of inspection and investigation reports for UGI Utilities Inc., a natural gas utility central to the explosion probe. However, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission had initially refused to release the records, citing state laws protecting confidential security information. This led to a legal dispute between the agencies.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Christopher C. Conner ruled in favor of the safety board, stating that the inspection records are vital to the investigation into the blast. The records include assessments of UGI’s pipeline system by state regulators, as well as leak and odor complaint investigation reports for the gas utility.
The safety board argued that the information was necessary to determine whether the commission had overseen UGI’s pipeline system in compliance with federal regulations. Federal prosecutors representing the safety board emphasized the importance of the subpoenaed documents in shedding light on the circumstances leading to the explosion.
Following the judge’s decision, the utility regulators were given seven days to produce the requested documents while ensuring compliance with state laws safeguarding confidential security information. A spokesperson for the utility commission expressed a commitment to assisting the safety board in its investigation, while also upholding legal obligations.
The federal investigation into the blast remains ongoing, with about 70 Palmer production workers and 35 office staff on-site at the time of the explosion. Employees reported smelling gas before the blast, prompting accusations that warnings of a natural gas leak were ignored. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Palmer over $44,000 for failing to evacuate the premises, a decision that the company contested.
As the investigation progresses, the focus remains on understanding the events leading up to the tragic explosion and ensuring accountability for those involved. The collaboration between federal and state agencies underscores the importance of transparency and cooperation in addressing such incidents to prevent future tragedies.