SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Downtown South Charleston was under a shelter-in-place for about an hour Wednesday afternoon and a chlorine cloud formed at the Solenis Plant along MacCorkle Avenue.
South Charleston Fire Chief Virgil White said the cloud formed from the decomposition of chlorine powder.
“That’s nothing to play around with because it is highly dangerous if you breathe it in. Quick notification is the key,” White told MetroNews.
The wind dissipated the cloud and the shelter-in-place was lifted, White said.
“It dispersed. We made everything was okay within the industrial facility and the neighborhoods. That’s when we lifted it,” he said.
The shelter-in-place started at around 2 p.m. and was lifted a few minutes before 3 p.m.
White said there were no injuries at the plant.
“All of the employees got out safely. They were all accounted for,” White said. “We did checks on all of the local businesses inside the industrial plant and everybody was fine there to. They had sheltered in place like you are supposed to.”
Solenis is the former Clearon plant. It produces chlorinated dry bleach compounds that are used in pools, spas and other items that need water treatment.
White said his department is very familiar with the operation.
“We run enough calls here over the years that we know what to expect and how to handle the situation,” White said.