Another FPG fire results in resignation of two senior officials

01-Aug-11

Petrochemical conglomerate Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) CEO Wang Wen-yuan recently accepted the resignation of two senior officials as the outcome of a second fire at the No.6 Naphtha Cracking Plant at Mailiao and wanted outside help to close the plant's safety loopholes. He also promised a detailed retooling and renovation of the plant's facilities. The exact reason of the fire has yet to be found, but based on a primary analysis; firefighters suspected the fire was caused by propylene leaks from the FPCC's third refinery, while company officials implied that carelessness of outside contractors is to hold responsible. According to the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), sulfur dioxide, an atmospheric pollutant, was detected in the air surrounding the plant immediately after the fire. The EPA is said to be collecting air samples in the area, promising to punish FPCC should it be found to have violate the country's environmental protection law. Chairman Wang Wen-chao and President C.Y. Su of Formosa Petrochemical Corp. (FPCC), a FPG subsidiary that operates the naphtha cracker, had no alternative but resign after the FPG had vowed to improve safety and "not allow similar incidents to happen again".