WEST VIRGINIA: County officials in Belle, West Virginia, have declared a shelter-in-place order for residents within a 3.2km radius of the Chemours Co chemical plant after a “serious explosion” occurred at the plant.
Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told local media that there have been reports of a smell of a chemical which some believed to be chlorine. However, he did not confirm it.
“We believe it (the explosion) was probably caused by a barge in the river area of the plant,” Carper said.
There was at least one serious explosion and a fire at the plant, Karper told WCHS & WVAH TV.
Carper said he could not confirm if anyone was hurt in the incident.
The US National Weather Service said the warning covered all residents from Burning Springs to the Chelyan bridge on the Belle side of the Kanawha river and west city limits of Marmet to Chelyan bridge.
Chemours Co did not respond to a request for comment.