LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A large explosion Wednesday morning at a Lexington UPS facility injured about a dozen people, but officials said no was killed and the incident appears to have been an accident.
The explosion occurred around 7:45 a.m. at the company’s shipping facility on Blue Sky Parkway.
Lexington fire officials said two people were taken to the hospital with injuries and 10 others were also transported to the hospital for observation.
Confirmed explosion on 200 block of Blue Sky Pkwy. Two patients transported to local hospital w/additional 10 transported for observation. Firefighters are currently checking structural stability of the building. Please avoid the area.
— Lexington KY Fire (@LexKYFire) May 30, 2018
The injured received burns as well as "concussion-type injuries," said Lexington Battalion Chief Jason Wells.
Wells said an acetylene tank on a tractor-trailer inside the facility exploded. The cause of the explosion was not clear, he said.
Lexington police, however, said that the explosion appeared to be an accident.
Incident at Blue Sky Pkwy involves what appears to be accidental explosion at UPS facility. @LexKYFire handling the scene and will provide additional information. pic.twitter.com/IsTIWG4nCi
— Lexington Police (@lexkypolice) May 30, 2018
A witness, Becky Walters, tells LEX 18’s Claire Crouch that she felt the explosion at her work, Brown Sprinkler Corp., which is just a few buildings down from UPS.
Walters says she heard the blast, which shook Brown Sprinkler’s building, causing things to fall from the ceiling and covering everything in dust.
She added that it looks like part of the roof blew off.
Blue Sky Parkway is reportedly closed in both directions.
The Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services bus arrived around 8:40 a.m. Officials with Lexington Fire say that there are no deaths at this time.
Quick update from the scene of@the explosion at the UPS facility off Blue Sky Pkwy @LEX18News pic.twitter.com/UueK8aeQhb
— Conroy Delouche (@ConroyDelouche) May 30, 2018
