Chemical plant blasts kill 4

Explosions and fires at a chemical plant Wednesday killed four people, injured at least 14 and sent debris flying several stories into the air, fire officials and witnesses said.

It was not clear what caused the explosions about 1:30 p.m. at the T2 Laboratories Inc. plant, which makes solvents and fuel additives, said Tom Francis, a fire rescue spokesman.

Everyone at the plant was accounted for by Wednesday evening.

Hospitals reported one patient in critical condition, three fair and five good.

Conditions for the rest were unknown, or it wasn’t clear where they were being treated.

Fire officials initially ordered a precautionary evacuation within a half-mile of the plant. But the order was rescinded just after 4 p.m. when firefighters determined that the level of toxicity in the air was no greater than that of a typical house fire.

A board member and a six-person investigation team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board were expected at the site today to begin an investigation.

John Swearingen, who works down the street at the Masthead Hose Co., told The Times-Union newspaper that the building he was in was severely damaged.

“It blew our roof off and blew the safety doors right off the hinges,” Swearingen said. “It picked one guy up and threw him into a rack, but he did not get hurt.”