Reported by: Jessica Reed
Videographer: Jerry Criner
Web Producer: Jessica Reed Updated: August 29, 2008 1:21pm
EYEWITNESS NEWS ONLINE VIDEO C L I C K T O P L A Y
The explosion at the Bayer Crop Sciences Plant in Institute happened around 10:25 Thursday night. The blast was felt for miles away and sent a fireball hundreds of feet into the air.
West Virginia Fire Marshal Sterling Lewis confirmed that the explosion has left one person dead and another injured.
The victim was sent to the Penn State burn unit. Officials from Homeland Security, firefighters, and plant workers all took quick action. It took six fire crews to get the blaze under control. The fire was in a section of the plant where waste products are treated before disposal.
As a precaution measure, Interstate 64, U.S. 60 and Route 25 near the plant were shut-down for several hours. A shelter in-place was in effect last night, but has now been lifted. All the roads are back open Friday morning.
Air monitoring found no sign of chemical exposure, either on or off the site, and a shelter-in-place advisory in the area was lifted at 2 a.m. Friday morning.
The chemical plant explosion is expected to create a shortage of the insecticide Larvin.
A spokesman for Bayer CropScience says the Institute plant is the only producer of Larvin. Nick Crosby says the chemicals involved in the explosion, methyl isobutyl ketone and hexane, both are used in the production of Larvin.
If you have property damage for the explosion you can call 304-767-6226.
MORE NEWS FROM EYEWITNESS NEWS
UNDERWOOD REMEMBERED Pastor Shares Memories on Eve of Memorial Service
November 30, 2008 6:21pm At Christ United Methodist Church, the place former governor Cecil Underwood attended service for more than a decade, he is remembered by its pastor not as a former governor...
MARQUEE CINEMAS ROBBED Suspect Walks Out With Undetermined Amount of Cash
November 30, 2008 5:21pm People enjoying their movie at the Marquee Cinemas Saturday night had no clue what was going on in the lobby.
LAYAWAY RETURNS Layway Programs Increasing in Popularity
November 29, 2008 6:06pm For Tammy Withrow shopping for eight grandchildren can get expensive, but K-Mart's layaway program helps ease the strain on her budget.
Ky. men waive right to hearing over Obama effigy December 01, 2008 3:15 PM Two Kentucky men who hanged an effigy of President-elect Barack Obama on the University of Kentucky campus could have their case heard by a Fayette County grand jury.
Correction: WKRP in Cincinnati story December 01, 2008 3:25 PM In a Nov. 29 story about a television station promoting its new digital signal, The Associated Press erroneously reported that station WBQC changed its call letters to WKRP. The station refers to itself as WKRP, reminiscent of the 1970s hit television show "WKRP in Cincinnati," and changed its trademark to WKRP Cincinnati but did not change its call letters, said Elliott Block, general manager.
Jessica Reed
