One dead, three injured in explosion at a West Virginia chemical plant

File Pic

One person died and three others were injured in an explosion and a fire that occurred in a chemical plant in Belle, West Virginia, on Tuesday night, officials said.

The incident happened after 0300 GMT on Wednesday at Optima Chemicals Co, a tenant on the Chemours Co site in Belle, Chemours said in a statement.

Following the incident, local county officials in Belle ordered everyone in a 3.2 km radius around the plant to remain at home, but the order was lifted a few hours later.

"Emergency responders have evaluated the scene and have determined that an all-clear can be issued," the Kanawha County Commission said in a statement earlier in the day.

The shelter-in-place order affected about 2,000 people, Jennifer Herrald, manager at the Kanawha County Commission, told Reuters.

Officials believed chlorinated dry bleach and methanol were the chemicals involved in the explosion, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told WCHS & WVAH television station.

"The cause of the explosion is not determined by Kanawha County. Other agencies will determine that and it is up to those agencies and the company to release that information," Karper's office told Reuters.

Belle is about 18 km south of West Virginia state capital Charleston.

More from International

Coming Up on Dubai Eye

  • The Music Mix

    7:00pm - 11:00pm

    Enjoy your favourite music back to back commercial free, tune in to the Music Mix everyday from 1 until 2 for the music you love and the news updates you need

  • The Music Mix

    11:00pm - 6:00am

    Enjoy your favourite music back to back commercial free, tune in to the Music Mix everyday from 1 until 2 for the music you love and the news updates you need

BUSINESS BREAKFAST LATEST

On Dubai Eye

  • Is There Sufficient House Supply In UAE

    Dubai’s current population is more than double compared to almost twenty years ago, which now stands at 3.7 million. Lots of families are also moving to the UAE now. So what does it mean for the property market?

  • Noon's First Female Delivery Driver

    Glory Ehirim Nkiruka is Noon’s first ever female delivery driver. In her first ever interview, she explained why she loves her job, despite the heat!