According to a source, a worker was missing after an explosion at a chemical facility in Massachusetts early Thursday morning.
The fire department said firefighters were called to Seqens, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company in Newburyport, around 12:45 a.m. When they arrived, they discovered that an industrial-sized vat that had been inside the building had been relocated to a parking lot about 30 feet away.
According to the fire department, there were five people in the building at the time of the explosion. Four people were taken to the hospital, treated, and then released. The fifth worker has yet to be discovered.
Because the explosion caused significant structural damage to the building, firefighters and technical rescue crews have been unable to enter. The Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter to assist in the search.
Residents in the area, according to authorities, are not in danger. There has been no word on what caused the explosion.
This is not the facility’s first fire. Six explosions ripped through the roof of the building three years ago. That incident resulted in no injuries. The roof is designed to blow open to relieve any pressure that builds up, according to the deputy fire chief at the time. At the time, the company thought the explosions were caused by a mechanical problem with a steam line.
Seqens has over two decades of experience in chemical manufacturing, according to the company’s website, and has two locations in Massachusetts.
