Imperial Sugar Breaks Ground

Almost eight months to the day of the deadly explosion at Imperial Sugar -- the rebuilding has begun.
Today the company broke ground on the new and improved facility.
The February blast damaged parts of the Port Wentworth plant beyond repair.
The explosion killed fourteen workers and injured dozens of others.
As a result -- Imperial Sugar was fined eight-point seven million dollars by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and cited for 120 safety violations.
News Three’s Community Reporter Alice Massimi has been following the story since the night of the explosion.
She has more on this 200-million dollar project.

A bittersweet day for the family at Imperial Sugar.
As they break ground for a new beginning many can't help remembering what this looked like just eight months ago.
“It’s been something of a roller coaster, it sounds trite and overused but that is what it is, we go through all those emotions,” explains Father Michael Kavanaugh of Our Lady of Lourdes.
There the night of the explosion, Father Kavanaugh's Parish sits right across from the plant.
He believes this groundbreaking is yet another part of the healing process.
“This is the beginning of the first step for us to put the buildings back together and get us in position to start this refinery back up,” says Imperial Sugar’s VP of Technology Brian Harrison.
Allowed inside for the first time we get a glimpse of the progress being made.
Not severely damaged by the explosion, this area was the site of flash fires.
While there is still work to be done Imperial Sugar Officials say the production of liquid sugar should begin in November. 
“You can never get rid of the stuff in the past but you can move on from it, and I think this kind of event helps people to move on from it,” says Father Kavanaugh.
Imperial Sugar Company Officials say they hope to be back up and running at 100 percent by the end of next summer.