T2 Labs Plant Explosion

What is MMT: Did it cause the T2 Labs Plant Explosion that killed 4? Also known as MCMT, the gasoline additive MMT was used in 1974 as an additive in unleaded gasoline. It was subsequently banned from 1977 to 1995 for use in the United States.

Today, MMT has been manufactured and marketed by T2 Laboratories, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida, as Ecotane® which acquired EPA approval for use in the United States and attained widespread use in over 70 countries worldwide.

In its "finished" form, MMT is safe; however, the manufacturing process reportedly involves chemical reactions that put the components under high pressure. It's thought that the manufacturing of Ecotane® caused the massive chemical explosion on December 19, 2007 that killed 4 and injured 33. Originally, it was reported that only 14 were injured, but one month later the number was more than double that.

In Memorium: Those who lost their lives that fateful day include 49-year-old Robert Scott Gallagher [pictured here], co-owner of T2 Laboratories Inc., 48-year-old Charles Budds Bolchoz, 35-year-old Karey Renard Henry and 36-year-old Parish Lamar Ashley. I worked closely with Scott Gallagher at a previous company, Glidco / Millennium Specialty Chemicals and knew Charles Bolchoz who also worked at that company.