Two employees have died following an explosion at a Louisville, Kentucky, factory that caused a partial collapse of the building and blew out windows in nearby homes and businesses, the company said Wednesday.
The explosion occurred Tuesday afternoon at Givaudan Sense Colour, which produces colorings for food and drinks, and led to an hourslong search for victims.
“We are grieving with the families, friends, and loved ones of those that were lost and injured during this very difficult time,” the company said in a statement.
Firefighters arrived on scene within minutes of the blast and immediately began fighting the blaze and searching for victims, Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill fire chief said during a news conference Wednesday morning. Most of the victims were found quickly, but officials later returned to search for another missing employee. The search took several hours because the building was unstable, but O’Neill said crews were able to find the last victim and remove him.
In addition to the two people who died, 10 others were injured, officials said. Eleven people were initially said to be injured, but officials clarified that one of the people who died was originally included among them.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said employees inside the plant initially told officials “everything was normal activity when the explosion occurred.”
“This is an incredibly sad and tragic incident,” Greenberg said. “I want the families of the two victims to know that the hearts of all Louisvillians are with them. We will be here to support them, to keep them strong during this difficult time as they face challenges in the days, weeks and months ahead.”
The quick action of responding agencies prevented further tragedy, Greenberg said.
Most of those with serious injuries were taken to University of Louisville hospital.
One of those patients died, four others were admitted and remain in stable condition and three have been released, Dr. Jason Smith said. He said patients were treated for blast and thermal injuries as well as from falling debris.
Patrick Livers lives in a neighborhood immediately across the railroad tracks from the plant. He was at work when his mother, who had picked up his children from school and was bringing them home, called to say his home had been damaged by the explosion.
“I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ Then she showed me the video. I was like, ‘Oh you’ve got to be kidding me,’” he said.
Livers said no one was home at the time. He said the explosion blew out windows up and down his street.
“The house is still standing. It’s just structural damage. If it was on a wall, it’s on the floor,” he said. “All the neighbors’ windows busted out, doors blown in. It looked like a small tornado went off inside the house.”
Steve Parobek was at work when the blast blew out the kitchen window in his apartment a block from the plant. He arrived home and found his cat safe and used two pizza boxes and some duct tape to cover his window as temperatures steadily dropped Tuesday night.
The Louisville Fire Department was leading the investigation with help from state and federal partners. A reconstruction team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was headed to Louisville to help determine the cause of the explosion. Givaudan said in an earlier statement that it is cooperating with authorities.
In April 2003, an explosion at the same location killed a worker at a caramel coloring plant owned by D.D. Williamson & Co. Givaudan acquired the plant from D.D. Williamson in 2021.
Federal investigators determined a pressure relief valve on a tank had been removed when the company moved the tank to its Louisville plant in 1989. The tank exploded because there was no relief valve, according to a report from the Chemical Safety Board.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.