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Louisville factory explosion
On November 12, 2024, at around 3 p.m., an explosion at a manufacturing facility for food coloring in Louisville, Kentucky killed two people and injured 12 workers.[1][2] Injured people, two of whom were in critical condition, were transported to University of Louisville Hospital and Baptist East Hospital.[2] As of November 13, The cause of the explosion is not known.[3][4] BackgroundGivaudan Color Sense, the plant operator, is a food coloring brand associated with the international Swiss manufacturer Givaudan. The facility was previously owned and operated by D.D. Williamson & Co. (DDW). [5] The facility was the site of another explosion in April 2003, when, while owned by DDW, one person was killed after a process vessel became overpressurized and catastrophically failed.[5][6] In May 2023, the plant was cited by the Louisville Air Pollution Control District for failing to provide compliance reports for air quality control operations.[5] In December of the same year, the plant was cited again for releasing excessive amounts of food coloring powder into the air, which landed on neighboring properties.[5] For years prior to the explosion, neighbors complained of strange smells coming from the facility.[7] ExplosionAt around 3 p.m., on November 12, 2024, an explosion at the facility caused a partial collapse and shattered the windows of nearby buildings. Emergency services quickly responded to the explosion, which was declared a hazardous materials incident. A shelter in place was issued for a 1-mile radius from the area, and an evacuation order for the adjacent two blocks. At 4:40 p.m., the shelter-in-place was lifted.[2] References
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