Sugar Refinery Hearings Underway on Capitol Hill

      WASHINGTON (AP) - A vice president of operations at Imperial Sugar Co. says he found conditions "so shocking" at a Georgia sugar refinery prior to an explosion that killed 13 people that he recommended immediately firing the plant manager.
      In written testimony provided to a Senate subcommittee, Graham H. Graham said he found missing safety plates on electrical gear and piles of discarded sugar and other materials littering the plant.
      A Senate subcommittee is reviewing the Port Wentworth, Ga., accident in February after a federal investigation found that Imperial willfully and egregiously violated safety standards. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed nearly $9 million in fines, saying the blast was fueled by an excessive buildup of sugar dust.
      Several other safety experts also were slated to testify, including the head of OSHA and the chairman of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.

To view the hearings streaming live, click here. (Note: RealPlayer required)