Explosion reported near Chemours chemical plant in West Virginia

BELLE, W.Va. — Residents near a chemical plant in West Virginia were told to shelter in place after an explosion was reported Tuesday evening.

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The explosion occurred near the Chemours plant in Belle just after 10 p.m. ET, WCHS reported. It is unclear whether the explosion involved any chemicals at the plant, formerly known as the DuPont plant.

“We’ve had at least one very serious explosion and a working fire at the plant,” Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told the television station.

Update 11:55 p.m. ET Dec. 8: Kanawha County Office of Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman said the situation at the Chemours plant has been stabilized, WCHS reported.

Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said one person was taken to the hospital, the television station reported.

Original report: According to Metro 911, the shelter-in-place includes residents between the Chelyan Bridge to Burning Springs, WSAZ reported. It includes all of Belle, Marmet, Chesapeake and Chelyan.

“An incident at one of the tenant companies at the Chemours site in Belle, West Virginia has resulted in a fire,” Chemours officials said in a statement. “Site responders are working to contain the fire. We have no further details at this time.”

Dispatchers said there was “some type of explosion,” but the cause is unknown, WSAZ reported. There is no word on whether there were any injuries, the television station reported.

Several schools in the Kanawha County School district, located in the restricted zone, have already canceled classes for Wednesday, WOWK reported. Several nearby roads have been closed to traffic, the television station reported.

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