A railcar containing hydrogen peroxide at the Evonik’s plant in Theodore was involved in an accident Saturday, causing an explosion and possible damage to the property.
No serious injuries were reported, according to the German-based company in a statement provided by the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department.
According to Mobile Fire-Rescue, the company reported the situation under control while firefighter units were on standby in case they were needed.
From Evonik:
A railcar containing hydrogen peroxide at Evonik’s facility in Theodore, AL was involved in an accident at approximately 2:00 pm. No serious injuries have been reported.
We are fully cooperating with local authorities. First responders arrived on the scene very quickly and we appreciate the work they have done to contain the situation.
Evonik cares deeply about safety and investigating the cause of this accident is a top priority.
The Evonik plant in Theodore employs around 750 people and is the company’s largest facility in North America. It’s unclear how many were working at the time of the incident. A company spokesperson said more details about the incident would be forthcoming, and that an update would be provided Sunday.
The company, in 2022, announced it was investing $176.5 million toward an expansion of the Theodore plant. The project was to be completed this year and is currently under construction. It’s unclear if the explosion caused any damage to the new construction.
The new facility, which is incentivized by taxpayers, will produce methyl mercaptan, which is used to manufacture its MetAmino (DL-methionine) product. The product is utilized in livestock farming to feed animals in a healthy, efficient and sustainable manner.
