Editing Belvidere, Illinois (section)

===2009 explosion===
On December 7, 2009, an explosion occurred at an [[Nihon Dempa Kogyo|NDK America]] building, when a large [[pressure vessel]] ruptured during a [[quartz|crystal]]-growing process. Pieces of debris, some weighing several tons, were flung over a wide area. One piece struck an automotive supply building and injured an employee inside. [[Chesterfield, Indiana|Chesterfield]] native Ronald Greenfield, a truck driver refueling at the nearby Belvidere Oasis [[truck stop]], was struck and killed by a 7-foot support beam. The shockwave was felt over a wide area. No NDK employees were injured in the incident.<ref>{{cite web |author=ABC 7 |date=November 14, 2013 |title=Final report issued on fatal Belvidere explosion; Feds say plant ignored safety warning before 2009 explosion |url=https://abc7chicago.com/archive/9325717/ |access-date=July 3, 2021 |publisher=ABC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Wheeler, Jennifer |date=November 14, 2013 |title=Overlooked inspections caused Belvidere's NDK explosion |url=https://www.rrstar.com/article/20131114/NEWS/131119638 |access-date=July 3, 2021 |publisher=Rockford Register Star}}</ref>

The [[USCSB|Chemical Safety Board]] investigated the incident, issuing their final report in 2013. The CSB found that [[stress corrosion cracking]] had occurred, unnoticed, in one of the crystal-growing [[autoclaves]], leading to the catastrophic failure. They also found that NDK management had been warned multiple times over the years that the dangerous levels of hot [[sodium hydroxide]] inside the vessels would corrode the steel walls. However, NDK management insisted buildup of [[byproduct]]s from the crystal-growing process would form a protective layer against the corrosion. Furthermore, during the factory's construction, the local government had been made aware that NDK's crystal-growing vessels were in violation of several state codes; when confronted, NDK had persuaded them to grant a special exception, and to hitherto allow them to conduct their own onsite inspections without outside interference. However, the vessel that ruptured had never been internally inspected to test the "byproduct buildup" theory, during its many years of service. After a smaller leak occurred in January 2007, NDK was warned about safety concerns again, this time by insurance investigators, who were ultimately ignored. Finally, the CSB determined the method for growing crystals used at NDK's Belvidere facility was prohibitively dangerous in the first place, pointing out such methods had been already abandoned by other crystal-growing facilities in favor of safer, lower-pressure and lower temperature processes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Falling Through the Cracks - Safety Videos - Multimedia &#124; the U.S. Chemical Safety Board |url=http://www.csb.gov/videos/falling-through-the-cracks/ |access-date=2016-12-08 |website=Csb.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2013-11-14 |title=Falling Through the Cracks |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo7H_ILs1qc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/uo7H_ILs1qc |archive-date=2021-12-11 |access-date=2016-12-08 |publisher=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Following their own 2010 investigation, the [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration]] fined NDK more than half a million dollars for willful disregard for legal requirements, and "unacceptable" indifference to safety and health. The NDK facility was demolished in 2015, with no plans to rebuild.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 1, 2010 |title=Crystal Manufacturer Fined $510,000 for Fatal Explosion |url=https://ohsonline.com/articles/2010/06/01/crystal-manufacturer-fined-after-bystander-killed.aspx?admgarea=ht.PlantMaintenance |access-date=July 3, 2021 |publisher=Occupational Health and Safety Administration}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Stanley, Ben |date=March 11, 2015 |title=Vacant 10-story NDK tower in Belvidere, site of 2009 explosion, is coming down |url=https://www.rrstar.com/article/20150311/NEWS/150319829 |access-date=July 3, 2021 |publisher=Rockford Register Star}}</ref>