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Deadly Dust: The Imperial Sugar Inferno
On Feb. 7, 2008, multiple explosions and fire detonated by sugar dust rolled through the Imperial Sugar refinery near Savannah. Fourteen people died and 39 others were injured, one with burns over 80 percent of his body. The Georgia Institute of Technology called the incident one of the l0 worst industrial disasters since 1945.
This book includes the first-person narratives of dozens of injured workers. It points out that many safety violations were routinely ignored. Explosive sugar dust covered machinery and drifted in the air like snow. Employees told investigators that there had been no fire drills for four years and no working fire alarms the day the plant blew up. Peterson's book exposes a U.S. Senator who took $131,000 in campaign donations from the sugar industry, then badgered a whistle blower witness. It shows the plight of many American workers who aren't adequately protected in the work place.
This book includes the first-person narratives of dozens of injured workers. It points out that many safety violations were routinely ignored. Explosive sugar dust covered machinery and drifted in the air like snow. Employees told investigators that there had been no fire drills for four years and no working fire alarms the day the plant blew up. Peterson's book exposes a U.S. Senator who took $131,000 in campaign donations from the sugar industry, then badgered a whistle blower witness. It shows the plight of many American workers who aren't adequately protected in the work place.
234 pages, Paperback
Published August 11, 2016
13 people want to read
About the author
Larry Peterson
76 books9 followersLarry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A former Metal Lather/Reinforcing Iron-worker, he left that business after coming down with MS. He, his wife and three kids moved to Florida 30 years ago. Larry began doing freelance newspaper commentary after graduating from Tampa College in 1984.
His first children's picture book, "Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes" was published in 2011. In 2012, his full length novel, "The Priest and the Peaches" was released and he is presently working on the sequel.
He also has a blog where he posts weekly commentary. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other.
Email: larry@tribute-books.com
His first children's picture book, "Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes" was published in 2011. In 2012, his full length novel, "The Priest and the Peaches" was released and he is presently working on the sequel.
He also has a blog where he posts weekly commentary. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other.
Email: larry@tribute-books.com
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 8, 2017
Book received from Edelweiss
This was an interesting read, it was discussing a fairly recent industrial disaster, so it was something I actually remember seeing on the news. I think part of the reason I liked the book was due to the fact that I know the area of Georgia it happened in and knowing that the people who were killed and injured I may have seen or talked to at some point while in the area gave it more of an impact. I know this was a history of what happened and how the workers and their families were treated by the factory owners as well as some people in the local government. However, parts of it were dry and seemed to drag, so that brought my rating down. I may get a copy for my shelves at some point.
This was an interesting read, it was discussing a fairly recent industrial disaster, so it was something I actually remember seeing on the news. I think part of the reason I liked the book was due to the fact that I know the area of Georgia it happened in and knowing that the people who were killed and injured I may have seen or talked to at some point while in the area gave it more of an impact. I know this was a history of what happened and how the workers and their families were treated by the factory owners as well as some people in the local government. However, parts of it were dry and seemed to drag, so that brought my rating down. I may get a copy for my shelves at some point.
February 9, 2024
This story has limited relevance to readers not local to the incident. This book would be more credible if any proofreading had been done at all. It is riddled with typos, missing words and punctuation, grammatical errors…Completion requires a dedicated interest in disasters and legal proceedings.
September 23, 2019
Decent local history piece
July 13, 2021
It was a fast paced and well done toreadclimatesocialjustice.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews