Massachusetts Company Disputes Danvers Explosion Cause

An investigator hired by one of the companies at the center of an explosion that shook Danvers more than 2 1/2 years ago has dismissed the government’s explanation.

Scott Davis, an engineer, said at a public meeting Wednesday that the November 2006 explosion could have been caused by a natural gas leak or been a deliberate act.

The Salem News reports that Davis did not pinpoint a precise cause, but did attempt to disprove federal and state investigators’ conclusions that flammable vapors from on overheated chemical mixing tank ignited.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said it stood by its investigation.

The pre-dawn blast at a factory shared by CAI Inc. and Arnel Co. damaged 270 local homes and businesses, but no one was killed or seriously injured.


Information from: The Salem News