A chemical plant in northern Illinois went up in flames on Wednesday morning, sending up plumes of black smoke and prompting officials to advise nearby residents to shelter in place as emergency crews responded to the blaze, Trend reports citing Reuters.
The fire broke out at the Carus Chemical Company complex in LaSalle, a city of less than 10,000 residents located about 100 miles southwest of Chicago.
Fire crews were called to the scene at 9 a.m. after an explosion at the plant, and the ensuing blaze caused significant damage before it was contained, LaSalle Fire Chief Jerry Janick said at a news conference. Additional equipment was ordered to fully extinguish the fire and start an investigation.
Video on social media showed thick black smoke billowing from the structure. Multiple structures in the complex were damaged or destroyed, footage showed.
LaSalle police alerted the public that a green-colored oxidizer was released in the area and warned residents against touching the substance.