Explosion Releases Cyanide Cloud Over County
LONDON, Kentucky (CNN) -- An explosion and fire at an insulation factory in southeastern Kentucky injured at least 26 workers Thursday. The Associated Press reported 11 were in critical condition.
The AP quoted officials as saying the fire at the CTA Acoustics plant between the towns of London and Corbin was 95 percent contained by midafternoon.
Every Laurel, Knox and Whitley County emergency and rescue service was called to the southern Laurel County plant after an explosion ripped through the rear of the building sending hundreds of employees scrambling for aid.
Gene Blair, a supervisor with the Environmental Protection Agency in Frankfort, said there is a response team on site gathering information.
“It’s too early on to determine a cause,” Blair said. “Basically, we’re trying to see what we need to do environmentally right now.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigations is also confirmed on site today.
“Right now they are assessing the damage and managing the crisis doing our best to make sure our people are safe and accounted for,” CTA legal consultant Jim Tomaw said.
Ambulance sirens echoed in the background of cell phones as workers who found a way out the building began calling relatives.
Near the plant’s security building, a roll-call sheet was being passed around in an attempt to collect names of those missing.
“I saw fire rolling up like a huge tidal wave,” one man, whose clothes and face were covered with dirt, said.
One 28-year CTA employee said she spoke for 10 minutes to a man whose clothes were completely burned off. The woman stayed with him until help arrived, but his face was so severely burned, she said she didn’t know who she was talking too.
“I saw a wall collapse, and I hid under my desk,” she said. “When I came out, I saw five bodies lying around me.”
As of presstime, there were no confirmed casualties. Vankirk-Grisell Funeral Home has confirmed Whitley County Deputy Coroner Bob King was on the scene. Baptist Regional Medical Center confirmed 17 people injured with at least 20 more expected to arrive. Marymount Medical Center confirmed seven injured with at least four more on the way.
Shortly after 7 a.m., CTA worker Rogers Bales, who was inside the building, said the rear of the plant exploded.
“Everybody saw a huge fireball, and everybody started running out,” Bales, said. “There was smoke and dust everywhere.”
“The roof opened up and sparks started to fly,” molding department worker Ruth Fivecoat, who was 30 feet from the explosion, said. “It was the loudest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Sharon Reese, who lives in nearby Piney Grove Apartments, said the explosion shook her apartment.
“It felt like an earthquake,” Reese said. “The bathroom walls felt like they were falling in.”
Workers said the explosion happened in the back, left corner of the building.
Some workers reported panic inside the CTA building, while others said emergency procedures were in place and helped the evacuation process. One man said he tried to get out of the bulding with a forklift.
“We need an ambulance. We need an ambulance,” one manager could be heard screaming as workers evacuated the building.
Ambulances took on the role of an assembly line of aid this morning, leaving with another victim almost as quickly as they entered the grounds.
Plumes of gray smoke are covering southern Laurel County today and the fire continues to burn. Smoke is visible across most of Corbin.
Baptist Regional Medical Center has established meeting room for family and friends to contact workers.