LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two people are dead and at least ten people are injured after an explosion at a factory in Louisville's Clifton neighborhood.
The incident was reported at the Givaudan Sense Colour manufacturing plant in the 1900 block of Payne Street around 3 p.m. Tuesday. The plant is known for producing caramel color in soft drinks.
In a late night update Tuesday, officials said twelve people were injured.
"Initially we had all been told [by the business] that all the employees were accounted for, tragically that was not the case," Mayor Craig Greenberg said in an update Wednesday morning.
He said the first victim was taken to UofL Hospital and died from injuries sustained in the explosion. The second victim was found dead in the rubble late Tuesday night by firefighters.
"This is an incredibly sad and tragic incident, these two individuals who have passed went to their job in an ordinary day to provide for their family when the unthinkable happened," Greenberg said.
Louisville Fire Chief Brian O'Neill said crews went back into the building late Tuesday night after receiving a report from the company that everyone may not have been accounted for.
In a late night update Wednesday, a Givaudan spokesperson said that "plant leaders used clock-in information immediately after the incident to establish site headcount."
"Due to the extent of the explosion, the typical evacuation site was unavailable and the team used two alternative locations," they said. "As a result, there was a miscommunication between the teams at the two locations when cross-referencing the staff list with those being transported to local hospitals. This initially led us to believe that all individuals were accounted for. When it became clear this was not the case, we immediately coordinated with EMS at the site who re-initiated search and rescue operations."
Following the explosion, officials enacted a one-mile shelter in place because it was not yet known what chemicals may have been involved in the explosion or released into the air. The shelter in place was lifted just before 5 p.m.
There have been no hazardous chemicals found in the air since monitoring began after the explosion, O'Neill said.
John Meerman, who owns a home near the plant, said the explosion caused the ceiling on the second floor of his house to collapse.
"It knocked the ceiling out of [the] room which is the bedroom and there is some cracks in the living room, and downstairs it cracked and busted the ceiling in the dining room. It'll have to come out," he said.
This is not the first time an incident has occurred at the plant.
Many buildings in the area were damaged by the explosion. Greenberg urged homeowners and businessowners not to remove debris or touch damage. Instead, he urged them to contact their insurance company and MetroSafe by calling 502-574-2117 to report the damage.
Investigators say it will take some time to determine the cause of the plant explosion. The ATF is assisting local authorities with determining the cause of the explosion.
Givaudan Sense Colour was invited to speak at Wednesday's press conference, however representatives for the company were not present.
Earlier Tuesday morning, the company released the following statement:
On Tuesday, late afternoon US time, there was an explosion at the Sense Colour factory in Louisville, Kentucky. We are deeply saddened to share the news that two of our team members lost their lives in this accident. Several other individuals were also injured as a result. We are grieving with the families, friends, and loved ones of those that were lost and injured during this very difficult time.
City leaders have stated there is no ongoing threat to those in the immediate proximity or the surrounding community. There have been reports of damage to some homes and buildings near the factory and we are in touch with first responders who are supporting those impacted.
We are in the early stages of investigating the cause of this incident and are cooperating with first responders and supporting agencies. We appreciate their heroic response and send our thanks to those in the community who have shown their support throughout the day.
Our priority right now is on our team members, the families of those we have lost and those that were injured in this accident. We are in touch with them, and committed to supporting them in the coming days and weeks.
