(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Following an explosion and fire at the Carus Chemical Plant Wednesday morning in southwest suburban LaSalle, Ill., city residents were placed under an hours-long shelter-in-place order.
The order, which applied to residents of LaSalle’s Third and Fourth Wards, was lifted around 5 p.m. City officials are expected to provide an update of the situation at a 2 p.m. Thursday press conference.
City officials said first responders responded around 8 a.m. to a report of a structural fire. Explosions were heard at the plant around 9 a.m.
All workers were evacuated from the facility. One firefighter was treated and released for injuries, but other than that LaSalle officials reported no injuries.
The plant produces chemicals used to treat drinking water, wastewater, industrial process chemicals, and more, according to its website.
In the hours after the explosion, the LaSalle Police Department said an oxidizer had been released in the areas nearby the Carus Chemical Plant. The substance, which appeared green or pink, appeared to cover cars and other materials in the area.
According to the University of Illinois Division of Research Safety, oxidizers are severe fire hazards, and direct contact should be avoided.
If you have skin contact with the oxidizer, the University of Illinois recommends removing contaminated clothing and rinsing the affected skin immediately with "copious amounts of water for 15 minutes or until pain is relieved."
A full list of emergency procedures may be found here.
LaSalle residents were encouraged to call a hotline set up to answer questions about the fire at 815-224-6206.
The City of LaSalle said it would post updates to its Facebook page.
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