12:44 p.m.: "We are now in the process of notifying family members and offering whatever support they need during this challenging time," Bonnell spokesman Brian Ellis said in a statement. Contrary to earlier reports from Coweta County Fire Marshal Craig Sherrer, Ellis said one employee was flown to Atlanta Medical Center; two others were taken to a local hospital and two were treated on the scene.
12:32 p.m.: "It was like a bomb went off," another witness told Channel 2 Action News. "It popped. And we looked. And it popped again. And we took off."
12:31 p.m.: All streets around the plant have reopened, according to Channel 2 Action News.
12:31 p.m.: Crumpled metal is on the roof of Bonnell Aluminum, according to Channel 2 Action News.
noon: "I just heard a big old blast," witness Erica Moss told Channel 2 Action News. "Sound like something was shooting, like someone was shooting 50,000 times."
noon: This is not a hazmat situation, officials told Channel 2 Action News. Most of the damage to the plant area was cosmetic.
noon: Plant employees have been sent home for the day, according to Channel 2 Action News.
11:59 a.m.: Emergency crews have left the scene, according to Channel 2 Action News.
11:49 a.m.: Five people were injured Wednesday in an explosion that blew a hole in the roof of a Newnan aluminum plant, Coweta County Fire Marshal Craig Sherrer said. Two of them were flown to Atlanta Medical Center for treatment. The other three were treated at the scene or taken a local hospital. Injuries ranged from "life-threatening to walking wounded," Sherrer said.
The blast occurred in the casting department of the plant, company spokesman Bob Gregory said. He said the plant would cease operations while officials investigate the cause of the explosion. He would not give a timetable for resuming operations.
ORIGINAL STORY: One person has been seriously injured in an explosion that blew a hole in the roof of a Newnan aluminum plant, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Others were injured in the explosion, which occurred about 9:15 a.m. at Bonnell Aluminum, Newnan police spokeswoman Gina Snider told Channel 2. The Newnan Times-Herald reported at least seven people were injured.
“Don’t know extent,” Snider said. “Not as serious.”
Rainwater reportedly got into the metal in the casting department, causing the explosion, according to the Times-Herald.
The blast shook downtown buildings nearly one mile away, the newspaper reported.
The person with the most severe injuries was flown to Atlanta Medical Center, according to Channel 2.
The plant is at 25 Bonnell Street.
