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. The explosion involved chlorinated dry bleach and methanol, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told the. The two other chemical operators were evaluated at a local hospital and have been released, Optima Belle said. A determination about lifting the shelter-in-place will not be made until that assessment is made. Chemical Valley begins at the hamlet of Gauley Bridge, population 614, in central West Virginia, where the New River and the Gauley River converge and flow into the much larger Kanawha. Four people were injured. It's the former DuPont chemical plant. Last weeks chemical spill is only the latest chemical accident in the Kanawha River Valley. When drinking water is contaminated in West Virginia, coal-mining operations are usually the culprit. A Warner Bros. The Elk River spill is the region's third accident in the last five years. Gayle and I, like all West Virginians, will keep Johns loved ones in our prayers and will continue to pray for the speedy recovery of the three others injured in last nights explosion.. "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. Thousands without power in West Virginia after strong winds move across the state. Please be careful everyone! The life expectancy of the solar panels is more than 35 years. The explosion involved chlorinated dry bleach and methanol, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told the local WCHS reporter Whitney Wetzel. A 2-mile radius shelter-in-place was in effect earlier near the chemical plant in Belle, West Virginia, after a fire. The fire was reportedly still burning early Wednesday morning and officials at the scene said it would have to burn itself out before they could go in to evaluate. Optima is cooperating fully with local, state, and federal officials on continuing investigation of this incident, the release said. 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 release from Optima Belle said. A National Geographic team has made the first ascent of the remote Mount Michael, looking for a lava lake in the volcanos crater. 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. It shook people's houses on both sides of the river.". The 723-acre former DuPont site is situated along the Kanawha River and has manufactured various specialty and agricultural products since 1926. appreciated. Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest information. Four . 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. The Belle Volunteer Fire Department was also at the scene along with every volunteer fire department in the area.. Its plant in Belle is located about 15 minutes south of Charleston. Optima Belle Chemical supplies specialty chemicals, toll services and custom manufacturing, according to its website. Two years after the Bhopal disaster, Union Carbide sold its factory. "To those of us in the chemical industry, safety is number one," he said. 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. Belle Mayor David Fletcher, who also is a volunteer firefighter, said the blaze was extinguished before midnight. Details about the incident . All Belle Chemical Company employees have been accounted for and safely evacuated from the premises. December 9, 2020 / 9:45 AM As of just before 2 a.m. Wednesday, the commission reported the fire was still burning at the plant. John Gillenwater was a true man of faith and the family believes in the power of prayer. "We drink the water, too.". The chemical industry followed early salt miners and then the kings of coal to West Virginia in the late 1700s. Carper said at first they believed there was a barge accident, but they soon realized it was an incident at the plant. Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. As fire lit up the night sky, the Kanawha County Sheriffs Department and State Police were controlling traffic at the roads around the plant. When does spring start? 60 has reopened between Campbells Creek and the Chelyan Bridge. Weve contacted the state and the Governors Office for assistance, Carper said. He told TV stations, right now we feel like everything is in pretty good shape.". According to the Kanawha County Commission, the Kanawha County Emergency Operations Center has been activated. Governor Justice stated a little after 11 p.m. that he has been monitoring the situation. Copyright 2023 West Virginia MetroNews Network. pic.twitter.com/TtXX20bu6q. "John was beloved by many in his community and his church," the told the station. The man who died was identified by family members as John Gillenwater, who was a chemical operator, according to Optima Belle. No additional information on their injuries was released. The complex is a former DuPont chemical plant. John was beloved by many in his community and his church. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Belle Mayor David Fletcher, who doubles as a volunteer firefighter, says the fire was put out and an order for residents in the area to remain indoors was lifted early Wednesday. Audio. It happened Tuesday night at the Chemours property site in Belle. Patrol Officer Cassie Marie Johnson Memorial Act creates a new criminal charge. A homeowner in Belle shared this video captured during the explosion: According to Metro 911, the shelter-in-place includes everyone between the Chelyan Bridge to Burning Springs. The safety board returned to West Virginia in 2010, after an accidental release of toxic gas at the DuPont plant in Belle killed one worker there, and again urged new safety oversight. Incident Description: On July 28, 2021, MetroNews reported an explosion at a chemical plant in Belle, West Virginia. This is a developing story. "I don't drink our water," she said. These skeletons may have the answer, Scientists are making advancements in birth controlfor men, Blood cleaning? Early Wednesday morning, the Kanawha County Commission said the order had been lifted. Site responders are working to contain the fire. U.S. 60 was shut down from Campbells Creek to the Chelyan Bridge. The injured people included two workers and one person hit by debris, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told WCHS-TV. U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, and the Kanawha County Commission expressed their condolences. "Unless it is in a container that says purified water, distilled water, or I bought it myself and put it through my machine, I don't drink anybody's water. There was a shelter in place for a two-mile radius late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, according to dispatchers. The number to reach it for non-emergency calls related to the incident is 304-746-8828. Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said three people were transported to the hospital, while a fourth person took himself to seek treatment. It happened around 10 p.m. Tuesday at the . Hey Kanawha County. The 723-acre site is located along the Kanawha River about 10 miles southeast of Charleston. All rights reserved. The Kanawha County school board announced that all Riverside area feeder schools will be closed Wednesday because of the explosion. Spruance employs more than 2,000 people, many of which are second and third-generation employees. Patrol Officer Cassie Marie Johnson Memorial Act creates a new criminal charge. Kanawha County Emergency Management Director, CW Sigman, tells WSAZ.com chlorine and methanol were involved in the explosion. As coal is prepared for shipment, it is washed with chemicals, including a cleanser known as crude MCHM, which is at the heart of last week's accident. Senator says it's time to get construction started. 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. KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) West Virginia American Water says customers are not impacted by the chemical plant explosion. The other two were evaluated at a hospital and have been released. 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 along the Optima Chemicals Company West Dupont Avenue in Belle, Metro 911 dispatchers say. Heres the technology that helped scientists find itand what it may have been used for. Officials believe the explosion involved chlorinated dry bleach and methanol, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told WCHS-TV. WSAZ-TV reports three people were taken to the hospital and a fourth transported themselves to get treatment. pic.twitter.com/TtXX20bu6q, Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) December 9, 2020. A plan to make mustard gas in the town for battlefields in Europe never materialized. Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? Rt. The blast prompted a huge fire at the Chemours plant in West Dupont Avenue in Belle, Kanawah . We are actively monitoring the situation, the release said. 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. A homeowner in Belle shared this video captured during the explosion: According to Metro 911, the shelter-in-place includes everyone between the Chelyan Bridge to Burning Springs. The number to reach it for non-emergency calls related to the incident is 304-746-8828. The extent of their injuries was unknown. People who lived in the area reported their houses shook. They say first responders will have to let the fire burn out before theyll be able to go in and assess the scene. It was at Optima Belle Chemical, a tenant of the Chemours Company Plant site. There was a shelter in place for a two-mile radius late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, according to dispatchers. 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. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) New details are being released about an explosion at the Chemours plant along W. Dupont Ave. in Belle overnight. Chemours says the incident occurred at Optima Chemicals, which is a tenant on the property. 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 water company says customers will not see any changes to their water services. 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. The Chemical Safety Board made similar recommendations in its reports of the 2008 and 2010 accidents, but the proposal died in the legislature without coming up for a vote. The Senate bill shrinks the copay cap from $100 to $35. 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. Explosion at the DeRidder Pulp and Paper Mill. RELATED: Police: 4 killed after explosion at UK waste water plant, RELATED: US charities raise millions in wake of Beirut port blast. A chemical incident and explosion at a plant in Belle, West Virginia, resulted in a shelter-in-place order for residents within a two-mile radius on Tuesday. The explosion sent large chunks of metal through the air. Why wetlands are so critical for life on Earth, Rest in compost? Firetrucks responding to plant. 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. John was beloved by many in his community and his church, the family said in a statement. Did you encounter any technical issues? One person was severely injured. 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. The proposal calls for annual safety audits by public health officials and other chemical safety experts. 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. This is a developing story. Jim Justice said in a tweet that he was aware of the situation. Four people had confirmed injuries from the incident, Carper said about midnight. 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. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our Belle employees, their families, and members of the surrounding community who have been affected.. The order was lifted around 2:30 a.m. The county commission said that the shelter-in-place order covered all of Belle, as well as the communities Marmet, Chesapeake and Chelyan. "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. The town of Belle has about 1,100 residents. Manchin visits Milton, discusses new federal funding for floodwall project. 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. Jim Justice initially said at least four people were hurt in the explosion. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. One person is dead and two were left injured after a fire at a chemical plant in Belle, West Virginia, according to Optima Belle Chemical, the tenant of the site. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Tina and her children are surrounded by family and friends in this great time of need. His family is "devastated over the loss of their husband, father and friend," according to NBC affiliate WSAZ of Huntington. It happened around 10 p.m. Tuesday at the Optima Chemicals Company along W. Dupont Ave. in Belle. Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest information. Copyright 2023 West Virginia MetroNews Network. A mans world? The explosion was reported around 10 p.m. Tuesday. Still, it was a very hard day, Kanawha County Manager Jennifer Herrald told The Associated Press. The explosion sent large chunks of metal through the air.