Officials have confirmed that a major factory explosion left two dead and at least 10 injured in Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday.
According to WHAS 11, an explosion occurred at roughly 3 p.m. at Givaudan Sense Colour, which is a factory that manufactures the caramel color used in soft drinks. The outlet noted that all of the explosion victims were factory employees and that the injured employees were transported to the hospital.
A video shared on X, formerly Twitter, shows the explosion that took place just before 3 p.m. on Tuesday. In the video, huge plumes of smoke can be seen coming from the factory immediately following the explosion.
On Wednesday, Mayor Craig Greenberg said, “Initially we had all been told [by the business] that all the employees were accounted for, tragically that was not the case.”
Greenberg explained that one of the victims died after being transported to the UofL Hospital, while another victim died after being discovered by firefighters in the remains of the factory.
WHAS 11 reported that Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill told reporters that firefighters went back inside the factory late on Tuesday night after being notified that not all of the company’s employees were accounted for.
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According to WHAS 11, city officials instructed residents within a one-mile radius from the factory to shelter in place due to concerns that hazardous chemicals could have been released into the air during the explosion. However, the shelter in place order was lifted by 5 p.m., and O’Neill confirmed that no hazardous chemicals have been discovered since officials started monitoring the air after Tuesday’s explosion.
In a statement obtained by WHAS 11, Givaudan Sense Colour said, “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.”
Givaudan Sense Colour explained that the company is in the “early stages of investigating” the explosion and is working with first responders and other agencies.
“Our priority right now is on our team members, the families of those we have lost and those that were injured in this accident,” Givaudan Sense Colour added. “We are in touch with them, and committed to supporting them in the coming days and weeks.”
The cause of Tuesday’s factory explosion currently remains under investigation, according to WHAS 11.
A YouTube video shared by WHAS 11 shows the remains of the factory following Tuesday’s explosion.
