PALM BAY, Fla. — An investigation is underway in Brevard County following an explosion at a chemical plant in Palm Bay.  

The blast happened at roughly 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at FAR Chemical, in the area of U.S. Highway 1 and R.J. Conlan Boulevard in NE Palm Bay.

The plume and debris field are not toxic, according to hazmat teams. 

No one was hurt and "all employees have been accounted for," FAR Chemical said in a statement.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection "is on its way to the site to further assess the situation and determine when it is safe for employees to return to the site. This is an active situation and until we can access the area we will not have any information on possible causes of the fire,'' the statement added.

"The plant will remain closed and clean-up efforts are under way. We are cooperating fully with all local and state regulatory authorities," the company said. "FAR Chemical is committed to safe operations and following the cleanup efforts will investigate the incident to identify the root cause and address any findings once the information is available."

Palm Bay Police Department closed U.S. Highway 1 at R.J. Conlan Boulevard for hours, Keely Leggett, a City of Palm Bay spokeswoman, said in a statement. “Residents are asked to avoid the immediate area.” The road has since reopened.

The explosion involved 30 to 40 barrels of an “isopropyl alcohol-based solution,” Palm Bay officials said. Each barrel contained 50 gallons of the fluid.

"The fire occurred at a material storage pad and container where flammable solvents were stored and then spread to an adjacent building," FAR Chemical said. "The fire has been completely put out."

Leggett said firefighters are taking extra precautions prevent hot spots and potential flare ups.

After the blast, Patrick Air Force Base responded with a crash truck and sprayed the area with a layer of retardant foam. Brevard County Fire Rescue responded with three ladder trucks.

Spectrum News 13 has learned that FAR Chemical received a number of violations in 2012, accoriding to OSHA inspection records. Some of the violations were listed as serious. 

The U.S. Department of Environmental Protection fined the company $53,253 in September 2015 for violating container requirements and for the discharge of an "emission or activity" without the required permit. The violation also alleged "failure To notify, general facility requirements and labeling/marking requirements," records show.

An employee at FAR Chemical was killed on May 21, 2008 in an explosion of a 500-gallon, glass-lined piece of equipment used for treating wastewater byproducts.

“The wastewater in the vessels was heated, vaporized and condensed. The resultant liquid then traveled through a glass pipe,” the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a report. When the glass piping exploded, the worker “sustained traumatic injuries.”

OSHA inspectors found 10 “initial violations” and seven “current violations.” An initial penalty of $14,600 was reduced by $3,000, records show.

In a 2019 article on its website, FAR Chemical’s general manager Joe Beatty says the Palm Bay facility has a positive reputation.

The June 2019 article is about an expansion at the plant projected to increase the workforce by 50 percent.

“We’re proud of our 35-year history of safe, responsible operations and look forward to building on this legacy,” Beatty is quoted as saying.

FAR Chemical, founded in 1982, calls itself an industry leader in the manufacturing of specialty organic chemicals for pharmaceuticals, electronics, flavors, fragrances, personal care, catalysts, polymers and plastics.