An explosion at a plant in Louisville’s Rubbertown neighborhood left two workers dead Monday evening.
The explosion happened around 5:30 p.m. Monday at Carbide Industries on Bells Lane.
While officials said there is no cause for concern to people in the area surrounding the plant, conflicting reports Monday night led to confusion.
On Tuesday morning, Mayor Greg Fischer and other city leaders discussed the emergency response to the incident.
MetroSafe Executive Director Doug Hamilton said he arrived at the scene shortly after 6 p.m. Monday. Hamilton said, before his arrival, he and his staff identified the six sirens that would need to sound in the Rubbertown area if needed.
Hamilton said once he arrived on the scene, it was determined that the smoke was from the field fire sparked by the initial explosion and it was not necessary to sound the sirens.
At 6:25 p.m., Louisville Metro police issued a hazardous materials warning for portions of Jefferson County. The warning advised residents in a mile radius around the plant to seek shelter and block off outside air.
The source of the alert was not from MetroSafe, but came from police.
On Tuesday, officials said some emergency responders were on different radio channels during the incident. LMPD did not get Hamilton’s report that the air was safe in the area because they were on a different channel.
An LMPD second-division lieutenant at the scene made the call for the alert as a precaution based on what she saw happening.
The all clear was given to the Rubbertown area before 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Fire officials said the plant’s safety policies and procedures are up to date.
Dick Brown, spokesman for Kentucky Labor Cabinet's Division of Occupational Safety and Health Compliance, said two inspectors were at the scene Tuesday. The inspectors will interview employees and responders and look at the damage from the blast and fires.
Brown said the inspectors will also look into the overall emergency response to the incident.
Three inspections have been conducted at the plant over the past 10 years. The inspections followed incidents at the plant. In 2007, an employee was hospitalized with burns. In 2006, hydrochloric acid was released and an inspection was performed after a complaint in 2003.
Brown said they found no reason to cite Carbide Industries in any of the incidents.
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