NEWBURYPORT — Acting Chief Stephen Bradbury III reports that the Newburyport Fire Department and its mutual aid partners are at the scene of a hazardous materials incident at an industrial park.
About 12:45 a.m. on Thursday, 911 operators received a report of an explosion at 9 Opportunity Way. Upon arrival, fire crews saw that an industrial-sized vat from inside the building had moved about 30 feet because of the explosion, and it was now sitting in an adjacent parking lot.
Five workers were in the building at the time of the explosion. Four were taken to a local hospital, where they were treated and released.
A fifth worker remains unaccounted for. There is major structural damage to the building, preventing firefighters and technical rescue crews from entering the building to begin a search.
There is no danger to area residents, but the Newburyport Police Department asks workers in the industrial park to avoid Opportunity Way while operations continue.
Additional information will be released when it becomes available.