Investigators to Examine Heat Exchanger at Williams Companies Plant

State and federal officials investigating the cause of the deadly blast June 13 at the Williams Companies Inc. plant near Gonzales, La., plan to inspect a key element of the facility this week that one federal investigator said “failed catastrophically.”

Investigators tell The Advocate they hoped to get a close look at a heat exchanger in the Ascension Parish facility’s propylene fractionation unit, an area company officials have already identified as being near the explosion and fire.

One worker remains hospitalized at the Baton Rouge General Medical Center’s burn unit while another is being treated at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

Tom Droege, a Williams spokesman, said the company is cooperating with investigators.