18,000 evacuated after major chemical explosion in US
Pastor Dale Morgan
Friday October 6, 11:59 PM
*18,000 evacuated after major chemical explosion in US*
Some 18,000 people have been asked to evacuate and 18 were injured after
an explosion at a North Carolina chemical plant.
The blast occurred around 10:00 pm Thursday (0200 GMT Friday) at an EQ
Industries facility in Apex, 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the state
capital, Raleigh, said Sharon Brown, Wake County, North Carolina's
public affairs director.
Brown said 600 people had sought refuge in emergency shelters following
the explosion, which sparked a massive fire.
"It is still burning," she said Friday, adding that "it could take days"
to contain the blaze.
She noted that most of those wounded were police officers and firefighters.
Although the chemical that sparked the explosion has not yet been
identified, since the plant produces various chemicals, Brown said
officials "believe it might be chlorine gas."