[FONT=Verdana]A chemical factory that was the scene of a devastating explosion in January will be demolished as federal inspectors continue to try to determine what caused the blast. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]The Synthron plant just northeast of [/FONT][FONT=Verdana]Morganton[/FONT][FONT=Verdana], [/FONT][FONT=Verdana]NC[/FONT][FONT=Verdana] was seriously damaged in the Jan. 31 explosion, which killed one person and injured 14, leaving it unsafe for inspectors to thoroughly examine. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]Cleanup of the site had been the responsibility of Synthron Inc., but officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday that they had taken over responsibility. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]EPA spokeswoman Laura Niles said it was a common move in plant explosion investigations. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]Niles[/FONT][FONT=Verdana] said the EPA has begun collecting soil, air and water samples around the site, and that none of the material at the site is a threat to public health. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]Investigators said in March that a leak of flammable chemical vapor during a manufacturing process was the most likely cause of the explosion. Jim Lay, an investigator for the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, said it could be six months or more before the agency determines exactly what happened. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]He said the instability of the partially collapsed building had prevented teams from looking closely at the reactor where the work was being done.
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[FONT=Verdana]"We've narrowed it down somewhat," Lay said. "But what we find (in the structure) could really change our thinking." [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]The demolition may take place next week, but an exact date has not been established. EPA official Barbara Scott, who is coordinating the cleanup, said the agency will try first to remove the reactor and other equipment. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]Information from: The Charlotte Observer, http://www.charlotte.com[/FONT]