Plant blast in Greenville leads to shelter orders
Emergency crews contained a fire at the Loveland facility after a herbicide storage unit exploded just after 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
By Charlotte Dubois ·
Washington County officials lifted a shelter-in-place order for Greenville after crews contained the fire at the Loveland facility. The plant, formerly known as Platte Chemical, reported no injuries from the incident. The evacuation order had been issued earlier in the day as thick smoke spread from the site.
Crews arrived at the location just after 7 a.m. on Wednesday to respond to an initial blast. The explosion involved a chemical herbicide stored inside a unit described as a hot box. Firefighters and emergency personnel worked to contain the flames while following decontamination protocols to manage potential chemical exposure.
Multiple agencies joined the local fire department in the response effort. The coordination between state and local responders helped manage the immediate threat to the surrounding area. Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons noted that the first priority was the safety of residents, first responders, and everyone working at or near the facility.
Simmons asked citizens to remain calm and avoid the immediate area. He requested that the public allow firefighters and emergency personnel the space they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. The mayor praised the swift coordination that helped control the situation.
The cause of the blast remained under investigation as of Wednesday. The facility is located in Washington County. The shelter-in-place order was in effect for the surrounding neighborhood while smoke persisted and crews worked on the ground.
