Sticky substance coats roads after paper mill explosion
CANTONMENT, Fla. – Authorities say no one was injured when a paper mill exploded in Florida’s Panhandle.
In a statement, Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Eddie Elmore said some roads around the International Paper Co. plant in Cantonment, about 20 miles northwest of Pensacola, remained closed Monday.
Elmore said the roads are coated with a sticky, black substance that causes skin, eye and respiratory irritations. It’s unclear how long the cleanup will take.
The company said in a statement Monday that is has “engaged contractors to develop and implement plans to clean up and dispose of the discharged material as quickly as possible.”
The Pensacola News Journal (http://on.pnj.com/2jeEtV4 ) reported that residents nearly 20 miles away heard the explosion Sunday evening.
Escambia County officials said all employees at the plant were accounted for.
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Information from: Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com
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