"Federal Probes Begin at DuPont Plant"

"CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal investigators began to descend on DuPont Co.'s Belle chemical plant Monday after a worker who was sprayed in the face by the poison gas phosgene died and U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd warned of 'a severe breakdown in even the most basic safety protocols.'

U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors were at the plant Monday, and a team from the federal Chemical Safety Board has also been dispatched to begin a separate probe.

Carl 'Dan' Fish, 58, of Gallagher, died Sunday at CAMC General Hospital. He had worked at the Belle plant for 32 years.

On Saturday, Fish was hit with a small cloud of phosgene that leaked from a line used to transfer phosgene from storage cylinders to a crop protection chemical production unit, plant officials said."

Ken Ward Jr. reports for the Charleston Gazette January 25, 2010.