1 Missing, 8 Hurt After Explosion Triggers Massive Fire at Ohio Paint Factory
Columbus Division of Fire
One person is missing and eight others are injured following an explosion and fire at a local Ohio paint factory, officials said.
Early Thursday, shortly after midnight, an explosion erupted at the Yenkin-Majestic Paints plant in Columbus, Ohio, triggering a second alarm fire, Columbus Division of Fire Chief Steve Martin told local TV station WBNS.
Upon arriving at the scene, first responders witnessed several employees evacuating the building on their own, five of whom were injured and taken to local hospitals, the Columbus Division of Fire shared in a Facebook post.
"Two other employees were trapped inside the building and had to be extricated and transported in critical condition," the department said in the Facebook statement. "Search and rescue efforts are continuing, as are extinguishment efforts at this time."
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According to Martin, the two employees are now in stable condition.
The department provided an update on Facebook at 5:15 a.m., sharing that the situation had been contained.
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"There will still be visible black smoke rising from the original fire building as we let some of the products burn off," the post read. "We still have one person not accounted for, but we have been through all of the building."
This is what we’re seeing now at the explosion site near the east side of Columbus.
I know EPA workers were out here checking air and water quality for chemicals. We’re on scene working to get more updates. #10tv #wakeupcbus pic.twitter.com/4Qs9wGwoxa— Krista10TV (@KristaWBNS) April 8, 2021
Martin later told ABC News, "a couple companies get in there and they did a thorough search and were not able to find anybody."
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"Because of the explosion, the rooms structurally were damaged and we had to go through fallen ceiling and furniture that had been blown across the room," he added.
Columbus Division of Fire
The cause of the explosion remains unknown.
According to WBNS, hazmat crews responded to the scene as the paint factory contains dangerous materials, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency has been notified of the incident. Nearby buildings and businesses have also been evacuated.
