'I heard it and felt it': Chemical facility explosion leaves 11 hospitalized in Louisville

An explosion at a chemical facility in Louisville, Kentucky Tuesday afternoon left at least 11 people hospitalized, officials confirmed.

The blast occurred around 3 p.m. local time at the Givaudan Sense Colour facility, blowing out windows in the surrounding area. The Louisville Metro Emergency Services called the situation a "hazardous materials incident" on X.

No deaths were reported and the cause of the blast remains under investigation, Mayor Craig Greenberg said at a news conference Tuesday. He added a that few homes were evacuated as a precaution but no further evacuations are planned.

"We are working to get more details from the company so we can have more information on what was inside the facility [and] what chemicals might have been involved. We don't have that information," Greenberg told reporters.

A weather camera from WAVE-TV caught the incident, showing a large amount of smoke coming from the building Tuesday afternoon. Aerial footage shared by local station WLKY captured the destruction to a significant portion of the building.

Shelter-in-place order lifted at 4:39 p.m.

Officials urged people to stay away from the area in the city's Clifton neighborhood as the investigation is underway.

The shelter-in-place order, which went into effect within a 1-mile radius of the explosion, was lifted at 4:39 p.m., according to a LENSAlert from Louisville Metro Emergency Services.

"For right now please air on the side of caution until we get the results we are looking for," Greenberg said. "Please avoid the area if you can. Not because there is any danger but because there is still a lot of emergency personnel on the scene."

Greenberg said another press conference could be held later in day as more information is available.

Officers from Louisville Metro Police's Fifth Division have blocked the roadway near the scene, the Louisville Metro Police Department officials said on social media. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are also assisting.

'It was so loud. I couldn’t believe it'

Arthur Smith, a resident of the Clifton neighborhood, said he was walking along South Spring Street when he heard the bang. Unsure of what exactly happened, he said it’s unlike anything he’s experienced while living in the neighborhood.

"I heard it and felt it in the ground," Smith told the Louisville Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. "I tell you what, it grabbed your attention."

Karen Roberts, assistant community director at the Axis at Lexington, was showing off an apartment to a prospective renter when she heard the explosion. Tenants at the 300-unit Clifton complex rushed to their balconies to see what happened, she said.

"It was so loud. I couldn’t believe it," Roberts added. "You can pretty much see the plant in some people’s back windows."