Chemical plant fire and explosions causes evacuations of local area
08 November 2022
A series of explosions at a chemical plant in the state of Georgia, US prompted the evacuation of several nearby neighbourhoods on November 7. A fire caused three explosions at the Symrise plant in the city of Brunswick on Georgia’s southeast coast, sending a large plume of smoke into the sky and prompting evacuations.
Image: Glynn County Sheriff's Office
The incident occurred in in a production facility that manufactures fragrance ingredients at around 04:00 local time. No employees were harmed and no danger to residents existed, Symrise said in a statement. As a precaution, emergency services evacuated the plant and asked locals to shelter-in-place. Three neighbourhoods in the local area were also evacuated as a precaution due to their close proximity to the plant.
According to local officials, one firefighter suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital where they received treatment for exhaustion. The fire was contained after a few hours and was left to burn itself out.
Symrise said that the fire occurred during the regular production hours for the manufacture of fragrance ingredients. The company said it is collaborating closely with the local authorities and is helping them to determine the cause of the fire.
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