Sugar refinery blast victim dies in Augusta

Another one of the victims of the Imperial Sugar Refinery explosion in Port Wentworth has died, bringing the death toll from the blast to 14.

Malcolm Frazier, 47, died from his burn injuries early this morning.

Frazier had been in critical condition for more than six months at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta.

One patient remains in critical condition.

Committee supports new dust regulations

A U.S. House committee has passed legislation aimed at reducing industrial dust accidents such as a blast at a Georgia sugar refinery that killed 13 people. The bill would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue new regulations within three months. The new rules would require industries to better train employees about dust risks and more thoroughly inspect, clean and ventilate their plants. Experts believe ignited sugar dust caused the February 7th blast at the Imperial Sugar Refinery in Port Wentworth near Savannah.

Sugar refinery explosion victim released from hospital in Augusta

A victim of the sugar refinery explosion in Port Wentworth has been released from the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta.

The patient, who the hospital did not identify, is continuing to receive treatment at the Doctors Hospital Rehab Unit.

Nine patients remain at the burn center. Three are in critical condition, three are in serious condition and three are in fair condition.

Thirteen people have died as a result of the explosion in February.

Sugar refinery explosion death toll rises to 13

The death toll from the sugar refinery explosion in Port Wentworth last month has now reached 13.

The latest victim died Friday in the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta.

Hospital officials are not releasing the victim's name...at the request of family members.

Six burn victims remain in critical condition at the burn center...Four are in serious condition...

Lawmakers tour sugar refinery rubble

Today some of Georgia's Congressional delegation toured what remains of the Imperial Sugar Refinery in Port Wentworth near Savannah. Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, along with U.S. Representative John Barrow, met with families and employees affected by last Thursday's explosion. The officials pledge to urge the federal government to conduct a thorough investigation into what caused the blast. Eight people were killed, 50 were injured, and one worker is still missing.

Sugar refinery explosion victim dies in Augusta

A victim of the Imperial Sugar refinery explosion near Savannah has died in Augusta, according to a spokeswoman with the Joseph M. Still Burn Center.

Michael Kelly Fields died at 2:14 a.m. Thursday.

Fourteen victims at the burn center remain in critical condition, while two are in serious condition.

18 refinery victims in Augusta expected to survive

Some hope amid the tragedy of the explosion of a sugar refinery near Savannah.

Doctors say 18 victims under treatment at a burn center in Augusta are likely to survive serious burns, despite 15 of the patients being in critical condition.

All of the victims suffered burns over 30 percent of their bodies. About half suffered burns over more than 50 percent of their bodies. Most were third degree burns.

The 15 who are in critical condition are in medically induced comas, and on ventilators.

The blast burned the victims on their faces, torsos, upper extremities and legs.

"Through the weekend, they will all be going into surgery," says Dr. Fred Mullins, medical director of the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta. The center is the closest burn treatment center to Savannah, even though it's more than 140 miles away. "Through the weekend they will all be going into surgery. During surgery, there is blood loss as well as the burn itself can create the need for blood and they'll require multiple, multiple transfusions."

That situation has blood banks in Augusta appealing to the public to donate blood and platelets over the next few weeks.

Mullins says the victims were very close to the explosion.

"Just by talking to some of the patients who were not intubated and looking at the patients that were, they were right there at the explosion," says Mullins. "Some of the patients told me that after the explosion occurred, it blew them greater than ten feet up in the air."

Doctors say recovery will take a long time.

It will be months before some of the patients are even able to leave the hospital.

The Associated Press is reporting that about 50 people were injured in the blast.

There have been conflicting reports on the number of people who died.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the disaster.