At least 12 people hospitalized after workplace explosion, officials say

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) - Officials say 12 employees have been hospitalized after an explosion at a manufacturing plant in Kentucky.

WAVE reports the explosion happened around 3 p.m. at the Givaudan Sense Colour plant at 1901 Payne Street.

Givaudan Sense Colour is known as the former DDW plant.

Two employees had to be rescued after the explosion.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jason Smith with the University of Louisville Hospital told WAVE that the hospital is treating seven of the injured individuals, with two in critical condition. The hospital reported a variety of injuries from the explosion including several burn and blast injuries as well as penetrating and blunt injuries from the force of the explosion and crush injuries from any debris that fell on the victims.

Louisville Metro Emergency Services say the initial shelter-in-place order issued for those in a one-mile radius has been lifted. Those within a two-block radius were evacuated.

In an update, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the cause of the explosion is unknown. Greenberg said that everyone who was working in the facility and those around have been accounted for.

Members of the Givaudan team that were inside said everything was operating as normal before the explosion.

Air monitoring in the area is clear at this point and time. Mayor Greenberg asks the public to continue to err on the side of caution and avoid the area. No additional evacuations are planned.

Louisville officials are working to get more details from the company about what kind of chemicals were involved.

Some businesses on Frankfort Avenue in Clifton have reported damage from this explosion. These are photos sent to WAVE from Quills Coffee and Osaka Japanese restaurant.

WAVE SkyTrack cameras caught the explosion from a distance. In the video, you can see a spark ignite before heavy smoke fills the air.

In 2003, an explosion happened at the same location, killing one.