Workers injured by ‘explosion’ at paper plant in North Carolina, sheriff says

An “explosion” has been reported at a manufacturing plant in North Carolina, resulting in an undisclosed number of employees being injured, according to investigators.

The incident was happened just before 4 a.m. Tuesday at International Paper in Manson, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office said in a May 26 Facebook post. Manson is about a 50-mile drive northeast from downtown Raleigh.

“First responders arrived on scene shortly thereafter and assisted a few employees with non-life threatening injuries,” the sheriff’s office reports.

“Ridgeway Fire Department has incident command of the scene and is utilizing the NC Hazmat team (Regional Response Team). Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is investigating the explosion.”

Traffic on U.S. 1 was diverted for first responders, county officials said.

International Paper handles recycling and is “a world-leading producer of fiber-based products,” according to Internationalpaper.com.

“We create packaging solutions that protect and promote goods, enable worldwide commerce and help keep consumers safe,” the company reports. “And we deliver circular solutions that enable recycling, reduce waste and build a better future for our planet.”

This is a developing story.