Crews respond to early morning explosion at a Mississippi chemical plant

GREENVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Emergency crews responded Wednesday to an explosion at a Mississippi chemical plant that sent a large plume of black smoke into the air.

Crews were notified just after 7 a.m. of an explosion at the Loveland Products plant in Greenville, city officials said in a news release. The city in the Mississippi Delta region has a population of about 26,000 people. It’s about 120 miles (193 kilometers) northwest of Jackson, the capital.

No injuries were immediately reported, said Sara Moreland Hester, a deputy emergency management director for Washington County and a local firefighter. She said that as of midmorning, the fire was controlled but not fully extinguished.

The city news release said that according to preliminary information provided by the plant management, the explosion involves a fire associated with a herbicide chemical.

Nutrien, the parent company of Loveland, said the fire was “being managed,” and that plant leadership was working with first responders. Loveland — based in Loveland, Colorado — makes fertilizer, plant nutrition and crop protection products.

Greenville Mayor Errick D. Simmons said in the news release that residents are asked to avoid the immediate area as officials monitor the situation.

“We are coordinating with emergency response agencies to assess the situation, contain the fire, and determine whether additional protective measures are necessary,” Simmons said.

City officials said the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has dispatched personnel to the area.