KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Five people suffered minor injuries Monday in a steam line failure at a chemical plant in northeastern Tennessee, according to multiple reports.
The incident happened at the Eastman Chemical Company plant in Kingsport, officials said.
Update 12:15 p.m. EST Jan. 31: In a news release obtained by the Kingsport Times-News, officials with the Eastman Chemical Company confirmed that five people were injured after a high pressure steam line failed Monday morning in Kingsport.
Company officials told the Times-News that the injuries, which were described as minor, were treated at Eastman Medical or at Holston Valley Medical Center. The incident, which happened on the northeast side of the plant, has since been contained, according to the newspaper.
Original report: Officials with the Kingsport Fire Department told WCYB-TV they were helping the Eastman Chemical Company Fire Department with two engines and a deputy chief. In a statement obtained by the news station, officials said a “high pressure steamline failure” caused vibrations felt in the area around 7:30 a.m.
“Eastman’s Fire Department is assessing the situation with assistance from Kingsport Fire Department,” the statement said, according to WCYB. “We are working to gather more details and will provide more information as quickly as possible.”
Eastman Chemical Company released this statement on the incident at the Kingsport facility this morning. pic.twitter.com/xlUya1q6Co
— Olivia Bailey (@OliviaBaileyTV) January 31, 2022
It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured Monday morning.
People in the area told WJHL-TV that they heard rumbling noises Monday morning near the Eastman Chemical Company.
“It sort of sounded like it could have been a big cargo plane, but then it went on and on and on,” Amy Bowers, who was out for a morning run when she heard the noise, told the news station. “It just sounded really, really loud and I could feel a little tremor in the ground.”
Viewer messages and calls flooded into the News Channel 11 newsroom Monday morning, reporting accounts of visible smoke and an explosion of noise in the Eastman Chemical Company area.https://t.co/OeUOph6j5D
— WJHL (@WJHL11) January 31, 2022
Russ Jowers told WJHL that the rumbling sound continued for at least five minutes.
“We’re just praying that people are safe,” Amy Jowers told the news station.
Eastman Chemical Company produces chemicals, fibers and plastics at its Kingsport manufacturing site, according to company officials.
Check back for updates to this developing story.
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