Chemical explosion kills 4 | wtsp.com

Four people were killed Wednesday in a fiery explosion at a chemical plant near New Berlin and Faye Road in Jacksonville. Fifteen people have been hospitalized.

An evacuation order that was put in place shortly after the explosion has been lifted. Tom Francis, spokesman for the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department, says there are no toxicity levels in the air.

The explosion sent flames and thick, black smoke billowing into the air. Six people were initially missing at the plant of T2 Laboratories Inc., but all are now accounted for, Francis said.

T2 Laboratories makes chemical solvents and fuel additives.

The fire was across the street from a JEA

power plant. Workers at the JEA Plant were evacuated.

Workers at Tri-States Contractors caught the brunt of the explosion. Several workers told First Coast News they were tossed around following the blast.

quot;Like a nuclear blast,quot; said Arther Krawzcyk who was working fifty yards from T2 Labs. Another worker at Tri-State, Eric Brooks told First Coast News that after the explosion that he, quot;ran like hell.quot; />