12 were hospitalized, 2 in critical condition, following a workplace explosion in the Clifton district

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Louisville officials say 12 employees at Givaudan Sense Color in Clifton have been hospitalized after a workplace explosion. Two of those employees were rescued by the Louisville Fire Department.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jason Smith said University of Louisville Hospital is treating seven of those people. He said two of the victims were in critical condition and the other five were in stable condition.

All seven patients admitted to UofL Hospital underwent a decontamination process. Dr. Smith said this process can take up to 15 minutes and requires removal of clothing and any chemicals before further treatment. Because employees couldn't know exactly what chemicals the injured were exposed to, they decontaminated anything that might be in the factory.

Smith said they saw a range of injuries from the explosion, including multiple burn and blast injuries, as well as penetrating and blunt injuries from the force of the explosion and crush injuries from debris falling on the victims. There is currently no significant bleeding in any patient.

Smith said the hospital hasn't had such explosions in some time.

Baptist East Hospital is treating the other patients.

The explosion was reported at 1901 Payne Street around 3 p.m. on November 12th. Givaudan Sense Color is known as a former DDW factory.

Louisville Metropolitan Emergency Services says the original shelter-in-place order within a one-mile radius has been lifted. People within a two-block radius were evacuated.

“I had just gotten home 20 minutes before it happened,” said Marvin Croomes, who lives on Payne Street. “I was sitting there talking to my mother and out of nowhere there was a loud bang that shook the house.”

Although the explosion was felt and heard throughout the subway, its effects were seen throughout the Clifton district.

“We couldn’t get in for maybe an hour or two,” said Eric Hart, a landlord in the neighborhood. “They finally let us in and we were able to cover the windows that were blown out with plywood and see what happened up there.”

The echoes of the explosion turned into the hum of buzz saws. People along nearby Frankfort Avenue spent the night boarding up broken windows and surveying the damage.

“There was only some glass affected, everyone was fine,” said Jason Baker, owner of Clifton Property. “I have four kids and two businesses and it’s nothing.”

To date, no injuries have been reported to anyone outside the factory.

In an update, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the cause of the explosion was unknown. Greenberg said everyone who worked at the facility and surrounding area was held accountable.

Members of the Givaudan team who were inside said everything was business as usual before the explosion.

Air surveillance in the area is clear at this time. Greenberg asks the public to continue broadcasting with caution and avoid the area. No further evacuations are planned.

Louisville officials are working to get more details from the company about what type of chemicals were involved.

Businesses on Frankfort Avenue in Clifton have reported damage from this explosion. These are photos sent to us by Quills Coffee and Osaka Japanese Restaurant.

WAVE SkyTrack cameras captured the explosion from a distance. In the video you can see a spark igniting before thick smoke fills the air.