BELLE, W.Va. — A shelter-in-place warning was issued Tuesday night for people in a small West Virginia town Tuesday night following reports of an explosion and fire at a chemical plant. Four people were injured.
A 2-mile radius was ordered to shelter in place around the Chemours chemical complex in Belle, WV, WOWK-TV reported. The order was lifted around 2:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
WSAZ-TV reports three people were taken to the hospital and a fourth transported themselves to get treatment. Two of the injured were from inside the plant. The extent of their injuries was unknown.
The fire was reportedly still burning early Wednesday morning and officials at the scene said it would have to burn itself out before they could go in to evaluate.
Officials believe the explosion involved chlorinated dry bleach and methanol, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told WCHS-TV. People who lived in the area reported their houses shook.
Images posted on Twitter showed the fire from across the Kanawha River.
Several roads nearby were closed to traffic, according to WOWK. Several schools in the area have already canceled classes Wednesday.
The complex is a former DuPont chemical plant.
"Gayle and I are praying for those at the Chemours plant in Belle & for our brave first responders who are running to the fire tonight," Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, tweeted.
Belle Mayor David Fletcher, who also is a volunteer firefighter, said the blaze was extinguished before midnight. He told TV stations, “right now we feel like everything is in pretty good shape."
Chemours formed as a spinoff from DuPont in 2015. The 723-acre site is located along the Kanawha River about 10 miles southeast of Charleston. The town of Belle has about 1,100 residents.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.