appreciated. Hey Kanawha County. ET on Wednesday. Chemours formed as a spinoff from DuPont in 2015. Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified the chemical plant where the explosion took place. One of Earth's loneliest volcanoes holds an extraordinary secret. The number to reach it for non-emergency calls related to the incident is 304-746-8828. Two of the people transported were from inside the plant. The call came in around 10 p.m. Tuesday, December 8, 2020. We have no further details at this time., U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., tweeted, Gayle and I are praying for those at the Chemours plant in Belle & for our brave first responders who are running to the fire tonight. The Kanawha County school board announced that all Riverside area feeder schools will be closed Wednesday because of the explosion. The explosion lit up the night sky in eastern Kanawha County. SHELTER IN PLACE IS IN EFFECT. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. I urge all those in and near Belle to stay tuned to local media & follow instructions from local officials.. Gayle and I send our thoughts and prayers to John Gillenwaters family, friends, and loved ones, especially his wife Tina and their children. Carper also told local WCHS reporter Whitney Wetzel that the incident involved chlorinated dry bleach and methanol. How did this mountain lion reach an uninhabited island? Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said three people were transported to the hospital, while a fourth person took himself to seek treatment. Chemours released the following statement: An incident at one of the tenant companies at the Chemours site in Belle, West Virginia has resulted in a fire. KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) A 2-mile radius shelter-in-place is in effect late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning after an explosion at the Chemours plant along West Dupont Avenue in Belle, Metro 911 dispatchers say. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "John was beloved by many in his community and his church," the told the station. House approves bill named after fallen Charleston police officer. It is unclear if the furnace was used to heat the building or products . The explosion was massive. Photo courtesy Aaron Spencer, Thousands without power in West Virginia after strong winds move across the state. Gov. One was a driver who was injured by debris from the explosion that struck their vehicle. The outcome could have been much worse if not for all the first responders, said Justice. Two people were hurt but details of the injuries were not being released late Tuesday, Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper told NBC affiliate WSAZ of Huntington.\"There was a fire at one of the tenant companies at our site in Belle, West Virginia. According to emergency officials, the explosion occurred at 8:40 a.m. in a furnace. John was the sole bread winner for his family.. Updated Its plant in Belle is located about 15 minutes south of Charleston. Officials do not believe any chemicals from the plant fire got into the Kanawha River, Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper told CNN affiliate WSAZ. John was beloved by many in his community and his church. Local outlet WOWK reported that several schools in the area also announced closures for Wednesday, following the explosion. Officials believe the explosion involved chlorinated dry bleach and methanol, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told WCHS-TV. Example video title will go here for this video. UPDATE | Name released of person killed in chemical plant explosion, Aerial drone footage of explosion at Chemours plant in Kanawha County (courtesy of Aaron Spencer). At least two people have been injured after an explosion at a West Virginia chemical plant that prompted authorities to order residents within 3.2 kilometres (two miles) of the plant . Emergency crews are on the scene of an explosion and fire at the Optima Chemical Plant on West Dupont Ave. in Belle. KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - U.S. All Belle Chemical Company units have been shut down. Carper said at first they believed there was a barge accident, but they soon realized it was an incident at the plant. Categories. The Senate bill shrinks the copay cap from $100 to $35. A West Virginia chemical facility erupted into flames after an explosion Tuesday night, killing one person and leading to a 2-mile shelter in place order for area residents before the fire was under control and the order was lifted, officials said. Carper said he hopes the shelter-in-place is lifted soon, but for now it is best to stay put and stay inside their homes for the safety of their families. Jim Justice tweeted that he has been briefed and that he and his wife were praying for the safety of everyone involved.Sen. The DuPont Spruance manufacturing site sits along the James River in Richmond, Virginia. Why wetlands are so critical for life on Earth, Rest in compost? 10 December 2020. The fire was under control by early Wednesday, Chemours said, and later that morning a shelter-in-place that had been issued for people living within a two-mile radius of the plant was lifted by emergency authorities. U.S. 60 was shut down from Campbells Creek to the. The Project will repurpose a former explosives manufacturing site, and with approximately $100 million invested will be one of the nations largest brownfield renewable energy projects. His family is "devastated over the loss of their husband, father and friend," according to NBC affiliate WSAZ of Huntington. All we can tell you is if you live in that area shelter in place, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told MetroNews a few minutes after the explosion was first reported. Jim Justice initially said at least four people were hurt in the explosion. DUPONT PLANT IN BELLE WEST VIRGINIA JUST HAD AN EXPLOSION! The shelter in place was lifted about 2:30 Wednesday morning. Optima is cooperating fully with local, state, and federal officials on continuing investigation of this incident, the release said. Road closures, shelter-in-place in effect after chemical plant explosion in Kanawha Valley, Go Fund Me started for Rockingham County deputy in need of emergency heart surgery, High School Basketball Scoreboard: State Quarterfinals, JMU womens basketball moves past Marshall 62-43, advances to Sun Belt semifinal, COVID was a huge boom for us; Shenandoah National Park official talks about how they are moving forward, Charlie Obaugh RV & Outdoor Student Athlete of the Week. RELATED: Police: 4 killed after explosion at UK waste water plant, RELATED: US charities raise millions in wake of Beirut port blast. What is wind chill, and how does it affect your body? CNNs Joe Sutton contributed to this report. Cathy and I are praying for the safety of all involved," Justice said. Copyright 2023 West Virginia MetroNews Network. Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, School shooting survivor has emotional audition on "American Idol". The Berkeley County Council announced Thursday that Torch Clean Energy, based in Colorado, is leading one of West Virginias first utility-scale solar projects. The explosion was reported around 10 p.m. Tuesday. 60 has reopened between Campbells Creek and the Chelyan Bridge. All rights reserved. "Gayle and I send our thoughts and prayers to John Gillenwaters family, friends, and loved ones, especially his wife Tina and their children," Manchin said in a statement. Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. Incident Description: On July 28, 2021, MetroNews reported an explosion at a chemical plant in Belle, West Virginia. Steam billows from cooling towers at a power plant near the Kanawha River in West Virginia. The Rush to Green Could Leave Us in the Dark. An explosion that injured four people at a West Virginia chemical plant and shook surrounding homes prompted authorities to impose a shelter-in-place order. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The 723-acre former DuPont site is situated along the Kanawha River and has manufactured various specialty and agricultural products since 1926. For all the industrial incidents and accidents, residents say not much in their state seems to change. The fire was significant, Carper said. A homeowner in Belle shared this video shot Tuesday night during the explosion at the Chemours plant in Kanawha County. Chemical incident at Chemours plant in Belle. We are actively monitoring the situation, the release said. He said they do not believe any chemicals got into the Kanawha River. Officials let the fire continue to burn off until just after midnight when it was extinguished, Justice said. This latest update comes hours after Gov. Chemours formed as a spinoff from DuPont in 2015. We are actively monitoring the situation, the release said. The Chemical Safety Board dispatched a team to West Virginia this week to investigate how 5,000 gallons of the chemical 4-methylcyclohexane methanol (MCMH) leaked into the Elk River above Charleston. The 723-acre site is located along the Kanawha River about 10 miles southeast of Charleston. Optima Belle LLC said that three chemical operators, including the man who died, were in the building when the incident at its chemical plant occurred. Or to see children with chronic skin rashes. The chemical giant also paid $9 million to clean dioxin-contaminated dust from 4,500 homes, according to the 385-page court order. Shelter in place ordered for 2 mile radius of the plant, Metro 911 (@KanawhaCoAlerts) December 9, 2020. I urge everyone in the area to follow the shelter-in-place order currently in effect, he said. UPDATE | Water customers not impacted by chemical plant explosion in Kanawha County. All Belle Chemical Company units have been shut down. As fire lit up the night sky, the Kanawha County Sheriffs Department and State Police were controlling traffic at the roads around the plant. "We just live with it until the next thing happens and then we rehash it all over again," Nye said. Not according to biology or history. "The fire was significant," Carper told local outlet MetroNews. There are reports of injuries but no specific details. The 723-acre site is located along the Kanawha River about 10 miles southeast of Charleston. Investigations: DuPont Corporation Toxic Chemical Releases . The only place in the U.S. where MIC was manufactured and stockpiled was at Union Carbide's plant in Institute, West Virginia, in the heart of Chemical Valley. In 2011, after a nearly 30-year court battle with residents of Institute, Bayer CropScience dropped plans to resume production of MIC, according to the Associated Press, and announced it would dismantle the production unit. The complex is a former DuPont chemical plant. That river wends through the mountains and empties into the Ohio River on the Ohio-West Virginia border at Point Pleasant. Other tenants at the Belle site also include Kureha, Optima Chemical Group, and Sentinel Transportation. The company will also install a 100-kilowatt solar array on a Berkeley County School at no cost to the Berkeley County Board of Education. The Chemours representative says the incident did not originate in the Chemours plant located on the site and that all Chemours employees were safe and accounted for Tuesday evening. But Donna Willis, 58, a disabled legal secretary who grew up in Institute and remembers the toxic releases and explosions, argued that drawing a bright line between the coal and chemical industries as if they have nothing to do with each other misses the larger point. Cathy and I are praying for the safety of all involved.. A determination about lifting the shelter-in-place will not be made until that assessment is made. The toxic wastewater produced in the cleansing process, known as coal slurry, is either injected into the grounda moratorium bans that for now, says Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition's Stockmanor is stored in impoundment ponds, or sludge "lakes" behind earthen dams. All Belle Chemical Company employees have been accounted for and safely evacuated from the premises. The groundbreaking promise of cellular housekeeping. ORIGINAL STORY: Emergency crews are on the scene of an explosion and fire at the Chemours Chemical Plant on West Dupont Ave. in Belle. Officials believe the explosion involved chlorinated dry bleach and methanol, Carper said. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. The company that owns the plant later said the fire at the site was under control. House approves bill named after fallen Charleston police officer. ET, WCHS reported. Gov. The two other chemical operators were evaluated at a local hospital and have been released, Optima Belle said. Senator says it's time to get construction started. West Virginia American Waters Kanawha Valley water treatment plant is located along the Elk River, which is a separate source water supply from the chemical plant. The plant is part of a larger piece of property known as the Chemours site which is owned by the Belle Chemical Company. The order was lifted around 2:30 a.m. Belle Mayor David Fletcher, who also is a volunteer firefighter, said the blaze was extinguished before midnight. The explosion at a chemical facility in Belle erupted just after 10 p.m. Tuesday and prompted a warning to shelter-in-place for two miles around it. Belle, with a population of around 1,100, is southeast of Charleston. Metro 911 reports that U.S. 60 is shut down from Campbells Creek to the Chelyan Bridge due to the emergency. Four . Two years after the Bhopal disaster, Union Carbide sold its factory. Carper told WCHS that one individual was taken to CAMC General Hospital by ambulance and another individual drove themselves to Montgomery General Hospital. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. The project will result in the creation of between 150 and 200 construction jobs. Audio. Shelter in place up within two miles of Belle. Imagesposted on Twitter showed the fire from across the Kanawha River. Even before last week's chemical spill fouled tap water in nine counties in West Virginia, where more than 200,000 people still cannot use their water after seven long days, it was not unusual to find black water running from kitchen faucets in homes outside Charleston. The extent of their injuries was unknown. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The project proposes turning 750 acres of land with limited potential use into what the company says will be a 100-megawatt solar array that can power thousands of homes and businesses. Scientists just confirmed a 30-foot void first detected inside the monument years ago. The incident was reported around 10 p.m. Aaron Spencer captured the following drone footage of fire after the explosion: Dispatchers said there was some type of explosion, but the cause is unknown at this time. Heres why each season begins twice. The 'extreme cruelty' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like? Indeed, people who live in the Kanawha River Valley, which much of the world learned recently is also known as Chemical Valley, have endured a long history of pollution of many kinds. BELLE, W. Va. (KDKA/AP) - A shelter-in-place order has been lifted for hundreds of people following an explosion and fire at the former Dupont Chemical Plant in Belle, West Virginia.. Four people were reported injured initially, but Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper said one person later died. Nick Barrickman. The water company says customers will not see any changes to their water services. Two of the people transported were from inside the plant. There was a shelter in place for a two-mile radius late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, according to dispatchers. But the measures found little support in the capitol in Charleston. The incident prompted a 2-mile radius shelter-in-place order, a county official told CNN, which has since been lifted. The explosion took place at the Optima Belle Chemical plant at around 10 p.m. Tuesday, when a 1,200-gallon metal dryer became over-pressurized during a chemical product drying operation, a news. "We've had at least one very serious explosion and a working fire at the plant," Carper told the news station. GRAFTON, W.Va ( WDTV /Gray News) - Two West Virginia women have been charged after police reported deplorable, unsanitary and unsafe living conditions at an animal rescue. An explosion that injured four people at a West Virginia chemical plant and shook surrounding homes prompted authorities to impose a shelter-in-place order. Please be respectful of copyright. BELLE, W.Va. The shelter-in-place Kanawha County officials ordered after a Tuesday night explosion and chemical incident in Belle was lifted around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. No staff should report. West Virginia American Waters Kanawha Valley water treatment plant is located along the Elk River, which is a separate source water supply from the chemical plant. He told TV stations, right now we feel like everything is in pretty good shape.". WSAZ-TV reports three people were taken to the hospital and a fourth transported themselves to get treatment. An explosion Tuesday evening at the Optima Chemicals plant in Belle, West Virginia resulted in the death of one worker and injured three others. Maintenance staff were troubleshooting it when the incident took place. A plan to make mustard gas in the town for battlefields in Europe never materialized. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "We lost a law enforcement officer and they laid her to rest, our community was already hurting over that event, and then to end the day with an explosion at a chemical plant when our first responders were already grieving and exhausted from dealing with a funeral - it was a hard situation to go through this evening," she said. According to the Kanawha County Commission, the Kanawha County Emergency Operations Center has been activated. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Two of the people transported were from inside the plant. A determination about lifting the shelter-in-place will not be made until that assessment is made. The location was a DuPont facility for many years in an area commonly referred to as the Chemical Valley not far from West Virginias capital. "I don't drink our water," she said. How a zoo break-in changed the life of an owl called Flaco, Naked mole rats are fertile until they die, study finds. Still, it was a very hard day, Kanawha County Manager Jennifer Herrald told The Associated Press. "Gayle and I are praying for those at the Chemours plant in Belle & for our brave first responders who are running to the fire tonight," Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, tweeted. But the real buildup came with World War I and the demand for explosives and other chemical products. The coal-cleansing chemical that spilled from Freedom Industries' storage tank into the Elk River last Thursday is only the latest insult in what for some has been a lifetime of industrial accidents that have poisoned groundwater, spewed toxic gas emissions, and caused fires, explosions, and other disasters that neither state nor federal regulators have been able to protect against. MARTINSBURG, W.Va. The site of the former DuPont Potomac River Works explosives manufacturing facility in Berkeley County will be the future home of a $100 million solar electricity production facility. U.S. 60 was shut down from Campbells Creek to the Chelyan Bridge. The blast prompted a huge fire at the Chemours plant in West Dupont Avenue in Belle, Kanawah . The plant saw nonfatal incidents, including a leak, an explosion, and a fire, during the late 1980s and 1990s. The explosion, which occurred at 10:02 p.m. on December 8, occurred after a 1,200 gallon metal dryer became over-pressurized while drying a compound used for sanitation. A 'very serious' blast at a West Virginia chemical plant has left four people injured and forced all residents within a two-mile radius to shelter in place, after chlorinated dry bleach and. Manchin visits Milton, discusses new federal funding for floodwall project. This is tragic loss for the community and all of West Virginia. The water company says customers will not see any changes to their water services. All Rights Reserved. The explosion occurred near the Chemours plant in Belle just after 10 p.m. "We are seeing a renaissance now because of Marcellus Shale," said Kevin DiGregorio, executive director of the Chemical Alliance Zone, a nonprofit economic development group dedicated to building the chemical industry in West Virginia. "Welcome to our world," says Vivian Stockman, 52, a longtime resident of rural Roane County, north of Charleston, the state capital, and an activist with the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition. On December 12, 2020, the Gazette-Mail reported an explosion at a chemical plant in Belle, West Virginia. No additional information on their injuries was released. The chemical giant also paid $9 million to clean dioxin-contaminated dust from 4,500 homes, according to the 385-page court order. The explosion was reported around 10 p.m. Tuesday. Long COVID patients turn to unproven treatments, Why evenings can be harder on people with dementia, This disease often goes under-diagnosedunless youre white, This sacred site could be Georgias first national park, See glow-in-the-dark mushrooms in Brazils other rainforest, 9 things to know about Holi, Indias most colorful festival, Anyone can discover a fossil on this beach. It includes all of Belle, Marmet, Chesapeake and Chelyan. Two years ago, Monsanto agreed to pay $93 million for medical monitoring of some 5,000 Nitro factory workers who alleged in a class action suit that their town had been contaminated with dioxin, a toxic byproduct of Agent Orange production that is linked to cancer. Four people were injured. It happened around 10 p.m. Tuesday at the Optima Chemicals Company along W. Dupont Ave. in Belle. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much The family is devastated over the loss of their husband, father and friend John Gillenwater. Carper also says it does not appear any chemicals got into the Kanawha River. It left 300,000 people surrounding Charleston unable to even touch tap water and essentially shut down the state's capital city as residents scavenged for bottled water, baby wipes, and frozen TV dinners requiring no water for cooking or cleanup. KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) New details are being released about an explosion at the Optima Chemicals Company along W. Dupont Ave. in Belle overnight. The number to reach it for non-emergency calls related to the incident is 304-746-8828. The explosion happened after 10 p.m. Tuesday at the Chemours plant in the Kanawha County community of Belle, the county commission said in a statement. We have no further details at this time., U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., tweeted, Gayle and I are praying for those at the Chemours plant in Belle & for our brave first responders who are running to the fire tonight. Second, a benefit account for the family has been established with City National Bank. He said they do not believe any chemicals got into the Kanawha River. John Gillenwater was a true man of faith and the family believes in the power of prayer. As fire lit up the night sky, the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department and State Police were controlling traffic at the roads around the plant. Two of the injured were from inside the plant. West Virginians in a two-mile radius of a chemical plant in Belle were told to shelter in place after a fire and explosion Tuesday night, officials said.The explosion occurred at the Chemours plant just after 10 p.m., the Kanawha County Commission said. Do Not Sell My Personal Information The chemical industry followed early salt miners and then the kings of coal to West Virginia in the late 1700s. View of fires at a Chemours chemical plant following an explosion in Belle, West Virginia, U.S., December 8, 2020 in this still image taken from social media video. They say first responders will have to let the fire burn out before theyll be able to go in and assess the scene. Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest information. According to the company, no changes have occurred in the finished water quality leaving the companys water treatment plants and no drinking water advisories have been issued. There will be no special education services. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. As of just before 2 a.m. Wednesday, the commission reported the fire was still burning at the plant. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. People who lived in the area reported their houses shook. Projectiles from the explosion nearly penetrated an aboveground MIC storage tank, drawing attention from federal investigators concerned that the plant was vulnerable to a Bhopal-like disaster. Or bathtub enamel eaten away, leaving locals to wonder what the same water was doing to their teeth. The explosion involved chlorinated dry bleach and methanol, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told the local WCHS reporter Whitney Wetzel.