An explosion at a natural food coloring manufacturing facility east of downtown Louisville injured 11 people Tuesday afternoon, triggering a brief shelter-in-place order as authorities responded to what they called a “large scale incident.”
The blast occurred at Givaudan Sense Colours, prompting emergency services to declare a “hazardous materials incident” and establish a one-mile shelter radius. Fire Chief Brian O’Neill said the response addressed an explosion, structural collapse, and hazardous material concerns at the site.
“Once we got the fire knocked down, we immediately started air monitoring for the immediate area,” O’Neill told reporters. “The evacuation was a precautionary measure.” Officials lifted the shelter order approximately an hour after it was issued, though some residents were evacuated due to blown-out windows in their homes.
Firefighters rescued one trapped person and helped others escape the building. O’Neill credited facility workers for their emergency response in getting most people out quickly. The 11 injured were transported to local hospitals, though officials did not release their conditions.
Air quality monitoring continues as structural damage could create new chemical leaks, though O’Neill said testing has shown no concerning chemical levels in the surrounding area. NBC affiliate WAVE captured footage of a large emergency response, with police and fire vehicles lining nearby residential streets.
Givaudan Sense Colours, which manufactures natural food colorings, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
