MOORESVILLE, N.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board has deployed a four‑member investigative team to Mooresville following Tuesday’s tanker truck explosion at the Carolina Beverage Group facility.
The team arrived the same day and has begun documenting the accident scene and examining the equipment involved.
According to preliminary information, a Brenntag tanker truck arrived around 7:16 a.m. on April 7 to deliver roughly 1,100 gallons of sodium hydroxide solution.
The driver discovered the DOT‑407 aluminum cargo tank was leaking and notified his company.
About 20 minutes later, the tank exploded, separating the rear compartment from the rest of the vessel.
NTSB investigators expect to remain on scene for three to four days, gathering perishable evidence. The agency also emphasized it will not speculate on the cause during this phase.
Witnesses with information are encouraged to contact witness@ntsb.gov.
Brenntag, the chemical company involved in the explosion, released its first statement about the investigation Thursday. It says it is cooperating as the NTSB remains on scene.
The full statement:
- On the morning of April 7 at around 7:15 a.m. ET, a Brenntag truck experienced an incident during product delivery at Carolina Beverage Corporation in Mooresville, North Carolina.
- Authorities confirmed that the driver was regrettably fatally injured in the incident.
- We are thankful to the Mooresville and Statesville Police and Fire Departments and emergency services agencies who responded quickly and effectively to successfully control the situation, as well as the responders at the site.
- The incident and its cause are currently under investigation. Brenntag is committed to cooperating with authorities to support their investigations.
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