Louisville officials mourn victims of ‘unthinkable’ facility explosion amid investigation

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Emergency management crews clean up damage after an incident Wednesday explosion in chemical factory It caused the death of two people and the injury of many others.

The explosion occurred Tuesday afternoon at the Givaudan Sense Color facility in Louisville’s Clifton neighborhood. While many nearby homes and businesses were damaged, Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill confirmed that investigators have yet to find any evidence of hazardous chemicals being released.

Mayor Craig Greenberg said a dozen people were hospitalized, including one person who died. A second deceased person was found in the building just after midnight.

At a news conference Wednesday morning, Greenberg observed a moment of silence for the two people killed. Out of respect for their families, none of the individuals were identified publicly.

Stefanie Lauber, head of corporate communications for Givaudan Sense Color, told The Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, that the two people who died were employees. Lauber said the company was “deeply saddened” by what happened.

He added that there was no immediate threat to the surrounding community and that Givaudan was investigating and cooperating with authorities.

“This is an incredibly sad and tragic incident,” Greenberg said at the press conference. “These two people who lost their lives were going to work on an ordinary day to provide for their families when an unthinkable event occurred.”

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What happened in the factory explosion?

The explosion occurred shortly after 15:00 local time on Tuesday and could be heard for miles. Firefighters arrived on scene about three minutes later, O’Neill said Wednesday.

Louisville Metro Emergency Services Executive Director Jody Meiman said approximately 300 calls were received to 911 following the incident; That’s roughly three times the number of calls the city might receive on a normal day during that period. An order to shelter in place within a one-mile radius was in effect for about an hour after the explosion but was later lifted.

“This was our job,” O’Neill said. “Our companies do a very good job of monitoring the first alarm areas. They know what’s out there. So we knew right away that we were dealing with not only a fire, but a structural collapse as well as a hazmat incident.”

Still, he said after the explosion it was “extraordinarily difficult” to react to such a scene. Firefighters helped evacuate several people from the scene, including a partially buried victim. He said the cause of the explosion has not yet been determined but should be determined during the investigation.

Chief medical officer of the University of Louisville Hospital, Dr. Jason Smith said doctors treating victims faced a “spectrum of injuries” consistent with an explosion, including blast injuries, thermal injuries and injuries from falling debris.

Greenberg said it was initially believed that all employees were accounted for shortly after the explosion. But O’Neill said it became clear later in the evening that not a single person was present. He said firefighters continued their search and found the second victim fatally injured “in an area amidst the rubble” just after midnight.

“This is a discipline that needs to move very slowly because of the potential for a secondary collapse,” he said.

‘I heard it and felt it on the ground’

Clifton resident Arthur Smith was walking on Spring Street, about a half-mile from the facility, when the explosion shook the city.

“I heard it and felt it on the ground,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “Let me tell you, it caught your attention.”

Karen Roberts, assistant community manager for Axis in nearby Lexington, was showing an apartment to a prospective tenant when she heard the explosion.

Tenants of the 300-unit complex on nearby Lexington Road said they ran to their balconies to see what was happening. There was a power outage in the apartments for about 10 seconds and some residents were left outside for a short time.

“It was very loud. I couldn’t believe it,” he said after answering calls in his office as police rushed to the scene a few blocks away. “… You can practically see the plant in some people’s back windows.”

The owners of Witches Brew Coffee, which opened on Frankfort Boulevard in late August, shared a video from inside their business at the time of the explosion. The explosion displaced the artwork hanging on the cafe’s walls.

Witches Brew Coffee did not suffer any external damage, but other businesses were not so lucky. Several businesses on Frankfort Avenue, including Beckman Fitness and Quills Coffee, were shuttered Tuesday afternoon after their windows were shattered.

O’Neill did not initially have a figure on how many homes or businesses were damaged.

Greenberg said debris may still be found in the yards of some homes. He urged residents to avoid removing debris or touching damage; instead asked investigators to call MetroSafe to assist. He said homeowners whose homes were damaged should also contact their insurance companies.

‘We hear neighbors’ concerns loudly’

Payne Street resident Jacob Hayden questioned whether it was wise to allow a manufacturing facility to operate in a densely populated area, noting that a similar incident occurred at the same facility about 21 years ago.

“If you ask me, there should not be a factory in a residential area. “Absolutely,” Hayden said. “The company needs to be examined for a long time.”

previous eruption took place in April 2003A worker was killed, triggering a “large release of aquatic ammonia,” The Courier Journal reported. At the time of the explosion, the facility was occupied by DD Williamson & Co. It was operated by. The explosion was later found to be caused by an overpressurized feed tank. It reopened later that year and has since been acquired by Givaudan.

Givaudan, which produces food coloring, was issued two citations last year by the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District; one for failure to submit annual reports and failure to monitor and record equipment intervals, and the other for failure to properly submit excess emissions notifications. according to regional regulations. Both cases were resolved through settlements with the district totaling $7,500.

Greenberg said he has heard neighbors’ concerns about the facility and that they will be taken into account once emergency response efforts are completed.

“Today is not the day to have such discussions with the company. We are focusing on the victims and their families, finding out what happened (and) providing support to the families of all victims,” ​​he said in a statement on Wednesday. “But we hear our neighbors’ concerns loud and clear, and that will definitely be on our minds as we talk about the future.”

Greenberg added that representatives from Givaudan were invited to Wednesday’s press conference but did not attend.

“Our priority right now is our team members, the families of those we lost and those injured in this accident,” Lauber said in an email Wednesday. he said. “We are in contact with them and are committed to supporting them in the days and weeks ahead.”

Reporters Leo Bertucci and Connor Giffin contributed to this article. Contact The Courier Journal’s news team at [email protected].

This article first appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal: 2 people died in the explosion at the chemical plant in Louisville: ‘Sad and tragic’