No injuries reported after explosion at East Tennessee chemical plant
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WKRN) – No injuries were immediately reported after crews responded to an explosion at an East Tennessee facility Wednesday morning.
It happened at the Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport, Tennessee, not too far from Johnson City and about 280 miles east of Nashville, around 10 a.m.
According to a statement from the company, there was a “process upset in the goal gasification area” of the facility. The company said no one was injured and a shelter in place was effective for several hours.
Multiple emergency crews also responded to the scene, according to WJHL.
A witness said she heard what sounded like three or four explosions and that her nearby home shook.
The facility was founded in 1920, and according to its website, produces “a broad range of chemicals, fibers and plastics found in products such as paint, adhesives, textiles, sports bottles, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.”