CNN
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A massive explosion occurred at a commercial facility in Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday afternoon, killing two workers, the factory owner announced. This was the same location where a deadly explosion occurred more than 20 years ago.
“We are deeply saddened to share the news that two team members lost their lives in this accident. Several others were injured,” owner Givaudan said in a statement. “We grieve with the families, friends and loved ones of those who have died and been injured during this extremely difficult time.”
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said one of the dead employees was found in the rubble hours after the company initially said no employees were missing. “I’ve heard from companies that all employees will be held accountable,” Greenberg said at a press conference. “Sadly, that wasn’t the case.”
CNN has contacted Givaudan for further comment on Wednesday.
The explosion at the Givaudan Sense Color plant was also felt in Jeffersonville, Indiana, a few miles across the Ohio River from Louisville, CNN affiliate WLKY reported. The incident blew out the windows of at least four nearby retail stores in the Clifton area, WLKY reported.
The explosion site is in the Clifton area, about six miles east of downtown Louisville.
According to the mayor’s office, 12 people injured in the explosion were taken to the hospital. Three people remained hospitalized Wednesday with non-life-threatening injuries, University of Louisville Hospital spokeswoman Heather Fountain told CNN.
“We are in the early stages of investigating the cause of this incident and are working with first responders and support agencies,” Givaudan said. “We thank them for their heroic response and would like to express our gratitude to those in our community who showed their support throughout the day.”
Givaudan Sense Color creates “natural colors for multisensory eating and drinking experiences,” the website says.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting fire investigators in determining the cause of the explosion, said Sean Morrow, chief of the bureau’s Louisville field division.
“There is no reason to believe there was any wrongdoing at this time,” Morrow said.
An explosion was heard in the city around 3 p.m., and local agencies responded to a “major incident” involving hazardous materials, the Louisville Fire Department told X News.
“It was so loud you couldn’t believe it was a transformer,” witness Gina Bowling told WLKY. “It was so loud, you could feel it.”
Photos sent to CNN affiliate WAVE showed metal debris from the factory strewn across residential areas in the area. “Please do not remove any debris that is in your yard. Please do not touch the damaged areas,” Mayor Greenberg said.
Officials issued a shelter-in-place order for people within a one-mile radius of the scene. Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill said evacuation orders were issued for two blocks of homes surrounding the scene because windows were “blown out” and residents could not evacuate to the scene.
“We are currently dealing with an unstable building that has partially collapsed and may collapse further,” O’Neill said Wednesday.
The mayor announced late Tuesday afternoon that the shelter-in-place order was being lifted, but urged area residents to “exercise caution.”
The city used drones to monitor air quality in the area. “We found no evidence that anything dangerous was released,” O’Neill said.
This is not the first explosion at the Payne Street location, according to a report by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.
The facility previously belonged to DD Williamson & Company, which was acquired by Givaudan in 2021 and renamed Givaudan Sense Color in 2023, the company previously announced in a news release.
On April 11, 2003, a “process vessel overpressurized” at the D.D. Williamson plant, releasing 26,000 pounds of ammonia into the air, scattering debris and killing one worker, according to the board’s report. Died.
The explosion caused severe damage to the factory, and 26 residents were evacuated at the time, leaving 1,500 people evacuated. The company was ultimately fined $10,000 by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet for the 2003 explosion, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The cause of Tuesday’s explosion has not been determined, but the fire chief said he does not believe it was the same material as the 2004 explosion. “We’re dealing with solid, anhydrous ammonia that no longer exists in the field,” O’Neill said.
In March 2004, DD Williamson & Company President and CEO Tex Nixon acknowledged this tragic accident at a public hearing. “This has been a difficult experience for everyone. We have lost a friend and colleague in this accident and it has certainly caused concern to many friends and neighbors in the Clifton area,” Mr Nixon said.
The 2003 explosion killed a 44-year-old worker named Lewis Perry, according to hearing records. Perry’s granddaughter, Rory Hibbard, told CNN on Tuesday:
“And once the explosion happens, you think it’s never going to happen again. But here we are,” said Hibbard, a lifelong Louisville resident. “All I heard was that there was an explosion at the factory again. It took me back to 2003.”
