Optima Belle Chemical supplies specialty chemicals, toll services and custom manufacturing, according to its website. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. 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. Hurricane man killed in Kanawha County chemical plant explosion According to a spokesperson from the family, John Gillenwater was killed. Incident Description: On July 28, 2021, MetroNews reported an explosion at a chemical plant in Belle, West Virginia. The explosion was reported around 10 p.m. Tuesday. The extent of their injuries was unknown. U.S. 60 was shut down from Campbells Creek to the Chelyan Bridge. West Virginians in a two-mile radius of a chemical plant in Belle were told to shelter in place after a fire and explosion Tuesday night, officials said.The explosion occurred at the Chemours plant just after 10 p.m., the Kanawha County Commission said. This is tragic loss for the community and all of West Virginia. Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, School shooting survivor has emotional audition on "American Idol". GRAFTON, W.Va ( WDTV /Gray News) - Two West Virginia women have been charged after police reported deplorable, unsanitary and unsafe living conditions at an animal rescue. A determination about lifting the shelter-in-place will not be made until that assessment is made. "John was beloved by many in his community and his church," the told the station. All rights reserved. Chemical incident at Chemours plant in Belle. Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? The explosion occurred near the Chemours plant in Belle just after 10 p.m. We are actively monitoring the situation, the release said. We encourage those who would like to show support for Tina and the family during this time to donate by contacting any local branch referencing the benefit account for John Gillenwater.. West Virginia American Waters Kanawha Valley water treatment plant is located along the Elk River, which is a separate source water supply from the chemical plant. "The fire was significant," Carper told local outlet MetroNews. These skeletons may have the answer, Scientists are making advancements in birth controlfor men, Blood cleaning? All rights reserved. UPDATE | Name released of person killed in chemical plant explosion - WHSV Copyright 2020 WSAZ. A plan to make mustard gas in the town for battlefields in Europe never materialized. The explosion sent large chunks of metal through the air. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The agreement includes a payment in lieu of taxes, in which Torch Clean Energy agreed to make significant yearly payments based on the number of megawatts generated. Indeed, people who live in the Kanawha River Valley, which much of the world learned recently is also known as Chemical Valley, have endured a long history of pollution of many kinds. Chemical Plant Explosion Leaves Four Injured, Officials Say Chlorinated December 9, 2020 / 9:45 AM Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Imagesposted on Twitter showed the fire from across the Kanawha River. Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Employment | Affiliates Intranet 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. UPDATE | Water customers not impacted by chemical plant - WSAZ The Rush to Green Could Leave Us in the Dark, All Belle Chemical Company employees have been accounted for and safely evacuated from the premises. There are reports of injuries but no specific details. Metro 911 reports that U.S. 60 is shut down from Campbells Creek to the Chelyan Bridge due to the emergency. That includes Carver Career Center, Riverside High School, DuPont Middle, East Bank Middle, Cedar Grove middle and elementary, plus local elementary schools Belle, Chesapeake, Malden, Marmet, Mary Ingles, Midland Trail, Pratt and Sharon Dawes. Chlorine itself is not flammable, but it can react explosively or form explosive compounds with other chemicals such as turpentine and ammonia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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. Or bathtub enamel eaten away, leaving locals to wonder what the same water was doing to their teeth. 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. A homeowner in Belle shared this video shot Tuesday night during the explosion at the Chemours plant in Kanawha County. The Kanawha County school board announced that all Riverside area feeder schools will be closed Wednesday because of the explosion. Four people in all were hurt in the blast, which happened just after 10 p.m. at Optima Chemicals a tenant on the site of the Chemours plant in Belle, officials said. Chemours formed as a spinoff from DuPont in 2015. They say first responders will have to let the fire burn out before theyll be able to go in and assess the scene. "But it doesn't ever get any better.". ET, WCHS reported. All Belle Chemical Company units have been shut down. Explosion reported near Chemours chemical plant in West Virginia "I urge everyone in the area to follow the Shelter-In-Place Order currently in effect. For all the industrial incidents and accidents, residents say not much in their state seems to change. 60 has reopened between Campbells Creek and the Chelyan Bridge. The shelter in place was lifted about 2:30 Wednesday morning. Explosion at the Chemours Plant. The Belle Chemical Company that oversees the chemical operations at the site said in a 1:30 a.m. news release the explosion occurred at the site but was not related to chemical company operations. Carper told WCHS that one individual was taken to CAMC General Hospital by ambulance and another individual drove themselves to Montgomery General Hospital. Then, in 2008, after the plant was bought by Bayer CropScience, an explosion killed two workers. The call came in around 10 p.m. Tuesday, December 8, 2020. The explosion, which occurred at 10:02 p.m. on December 8, occurred after a 1,200 gallon metal dryer became over-pressurized while drying a compound used for sanitation. Officials believe the explosion involved chlorinated dry bleach and methanol, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told WCHS-TV. For nearly a century, Chemical Valley was home to the largest concentration of chemical plants in the United States, according to a 2004 history by Nathan Cantrell, published by the West Virginia Historical Society. The explosion happened about 10 p.m. at an area along the Kanawha River about 10 miles east of Charleston. The location was a DuPont facility for many years in an area commonly referred to as the Chemical Valley not far from West Virginias capital. ET on Wednesday. Cathy and I are praying for the safety of all involved.. "Gayle and I send our thoughts and prayers to John Gillenwaters family, friends, and loved ones, especially his wife Tina and their children," Manchin said in a statement. Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. The county commission said that the shelter-in-place order covered all of Belle, as well as the communities Marmet, Chesapeake and Chelyan. Investigations: DuPont Corporation Toxic Chemical Releases . Chemical plant explosion, fire in Belle, WV | wtsp.com Shelter in place up within two miles of Belle. Belle Mayor David Fletcher, who also is a volunteer firefighter, said the blaze was extinguished before midnight. 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.. And though some of West Virginia's chemical manufacturers have shifted to Calgary's gas fields and to the oil-rich Gulf Coast in recent years, the discovery of the Marcellus Shalewhich extends throughout much of the eastern United States and is touted as the largest natural gas field in the worldhas raised hopes of a rebirth of Chemical Valley. We are actively monitoring the situation, the release said. At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Bus with 40 children crashes in French Alps, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case. BELLE, W.Va. The shelter-in-place Kanawha County officials ordered after a Tuesday night explosion and chemical incident in Belle was lifted around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) A shelter-in-place order has been lifted, nearly four and a half hours after an explosion at the Chemours plant along W. Dupont Ave. in Belle. Explosion at the Chemours Plant. Carper said at first they believed there was a barge accident, but they soon realized it was an incident at the plant. The Belle Volunteer Fire Department was also at the scene along with every volunteer fire department in the area.. The two other chemical operators were evaluated at a local hospital and have been released, Optima Belle said.