A Kentucky plant exploded Tuesday afternoon — sending a massive boom across the area and injuring at least 11 workers inside, according to officials.
The blast happened around 3 p.m., collapsing part Givaudan Sense Colour, a natural food coloring plant, and blowing out the windows of nearby houses in the Clifton neighborhood of Louisville, according to city leaders.
One employee was rescued by first responders after he was pinned under part of the wreckage, according to the city’s fire department.
At least 11 workers were rushed to local hospitals. Their conditions are unknown but no deaths have been reported so far, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said during a press briefing.
“Just spoke to a couple members of that team inside there and they have initially conveyed that everything was normal activity when the explosion occurred,” Greenberg said.
Nearby homes were evacuated and shelter-in-place was issued for a one-mile radius around the plant over concerns of a possible chemical leak. The shelter-in-place was expected to be lifted shortly.
So far, testing has not shown any hazardous material in the area, officials said.
“We started air monitoring immediately, it is ongoing. We’re going in all directions within the whole area,” city fire chief Brian O’Neill said during the pressing. “Rest assured that nothing at this point has ever shown any type of chemicals in the air in this entire region.”
He stressed the scene was ongoing and it’s unknown what caused the explosion.
Officials are working to get more information from the plant about what materials were in the facility.
WLKY previously reported there were concerns about a possible ammonia leak, citing sources.
There were also initial concerns that people were trapped inside the building, but city leaders said everyone has been accounted for.
“I heard it and felt it in the ground,” nearby resident Arthur Smith told the Courier Journal.
“I tell you what, it grabbed your attention.”
