Imperial Sugar Refinery Groundbreaking

      PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. (AP) - Imperial Sugar is ready to start
rebuilding portions of its Georgia plant devastated by a deadly
explosion eight months ago.
      The Texas-based company plans to break ground on the project
Wednesday. The refinery's three towering storage silos were damaged
beyond repair in the Feb. 7 blast and its packaging plant was
destroyed. The explosion killed 14 workers and injured dozens more.
      Imperial Sugar hopes to finish the new construction by the
summer of 2009.
      Investigators determined the explosion was caused by sugar dust
igniting like gunpowder. The federal Occupational Health and Safety
Administration in July recommended $8.7 million in fines against
the company.
     

NEWS 3 Community Reporter Alice Massimi is covering this morning's groundbreaking. Look for her report tonight on NEWS 3 On Your Side at 6.