Hours after an explosion and fire at the Chemours plant in Belle late Tuesday night, four individuals were found injured as the incident prompted hours-long shelter-in-place for areas surrounding the plant, which is in the vicinity of U.S. 60 in Eastern Kanawha County.
According to the Kanawha County Commission Belle Mayor David Fletcher, the explosion occurred at 10:02 p.m., and the fire was pretty much out just after midnight.
He also added that crews of the emergency team were monitoring the plant and waiting for a clearance from the plant inspectors.
Based on the statement from Kent Carper, the Kanawha Commission president, one person was brought to Montgomery General, while three others were taken to Charleston Area Medical Center. However, the extent of their injuries has yet to be confirmed.
According to CBS News, Carper shared that the incident involved chlorinated dry bleach and methanol, which was considered as the likely origin of the explosion and also acted as an accelerant for the flames.
He added that the situation was evolving, and with the terrible explosion, they had ordered a shelter-in-place in that area.
The shelter-in-place was issued on areas within the 2-mile radius of the plant, including everyone between the Chelyan bridge to Burning Springs and all of Chelyan, Marmet, Belle, and Chesapeake.
Based on the Kanawha County Commission's statement, the shelter-in-place was lifted at 2:25 a.m. after emergency responders evaluated the scene and considered the area open for all clear issuance.
The order of shelter-in-place was in effect for a number of hours overnight.
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The Kanawha Commission president also mentioned that they are cognizant of the fact that they have got a great impact on safety with the traffic, they are mindful that it is cold outside, and shelter-in-place means people cannot run their heater, but their joint concern is making sure that there will be no further incident, NBC News reported.
Carper also added that the last thing they want is to let people go back and have another incident. They need to make certain decisions to ensure public safety. They also had to make sure that there will be no further incident before ending the shelter-in-place.
Based on some reports, it was believed that there were multiple explosions.
It was not only the Kanawha County Homeland Security who responded to the explosion, as Emergency Management and local volunteer fire departments responded to the scene as well.
Fletcher stated that some debris from the explosion was found on U.S. 60 and Marmet Mayor Jay Snodgrass mentioned that some debris was also blown across the river.
The 56-year-old Mayor Snodgrass has lived in Eastern Kanawha County his whole life, and his relatives have also retired from the Belle plant. He shared that the explosion on Tuesday night shook his house like never before.
Snodgrass also mentioned that it was the loudest explosion he had ever heard and that he had felt it as well.
He also added that it jolted his body as it felt like it was next door, and after that, they saw the smoke plume across the river.
The 56-year-old mayor emphasized that he never experienced anything like it, especially with that kind of magnitude, USA Today reported.
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