Three people are injured after an explosion at a facility in Bridgeport on Friday, according to city officials.
Firefighters and police responded to the Tradebe Environmental Services facility on Cross Street for what city officials called a major fire. A city official initially said the explosion and fire were at Standard Oil.
Three people were taken to Bridgeport Hospital, according to a hospital spokesperson. Two have since been discharged from the hospital.
One person was being treated for burns and two were being treated for smoke inhalation, according to a city official.
"There was a delivery of a low-grade oxidizer, about 4,000 gallons. It appears the driver opened up one of the valves and there was a large explosion which trigger multiple smaller explosions," Acting Fire Chief Lance Edwards said.
Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim posted two videos on Facebook from nearby the scene. Ganim said an area near Willow Street and Cross Street was initially evacuated, but residents were allowed to return.
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All residents and businesses that were evacuated have since been able to return to the area. Air quality has also been deemed safe.
The fire chief told us that the pH level in the area is "very high," and as a result, fishing won't be allowed in any nearby bodies of water. Once levels reach a lower level, fishing in nearby brooks could continue.
“You could hear constant popping noises, like popcorn going off," Paul Fredericks, who witnessed the explosion, said.
Fire crews from Stratford and Fairfield also responded to the scene.
A spokesperson for Tradebe Environmental Services issued the following statement on the incident:
“There was an incident at the Bridgeport facility Friday afternoon. We are cooperating and working closely with first responders and regulators. Our prayers are with the three people who were injured, and they are currently being evaluated at a local hospital.”
According to their website, Tradebe Environmental Services employs about 2,700 people and operates over 80 sites worldwide. They "provide flexible, innovative and technologically driven solutions for the processing and recovery of hazardous and non hazardous waste," their website states.
