LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Wednesday’s explosion at Carbide Industries in Louisville's Rubbertown neighborhood is the latest in a long history of safety violations, including three worker deaths and nearly $100,000 in fines.
In 2011, two workers were killed in an explosion. Federal investigators found the blast occurred after Carbide ignored warning signs, including 26 work orders on the furnace that blew up. The company faced a fine of just $11,200.
Despite promises to improve safety, violations continued. In 2018, an employee was electrocuted and killed, and Carbide paid only $7,000 in penalties.
“The problem with the city is that they don’t learn,” said Eboni Cochran, co-director of Rubbertown Emergency ACTion, a grassroots group of neighbors advocating for clean air near 11 chemical plants in Rubbertown. “We know these chemicals harm every system in the body.”
In 2023, the Louisville Air Pollution Control Board fined Carbide $40,500 for failing to report abnormal operating conditions. As recently as February, OSHA cited the plant for unsafe control of hazardous energy, a standard meant to ensure machinery is properly shut down.
“People in these neighborhoods, who are predominantly Black ... are seen as expendable,” Cochran said.
Cochran said the city is not doing enough to protect residents.
"The mayor, he is the leader of this city, he needs to make sure communities that are at the fence lines of these hazardous chemicals have quarterly emergency preparedness workshops," she said.
Cochran said Rubbertown Emergency ACTion hosts safety workshops to fill that gap.
"The burden falls on regular residents to practically beg the leadership who should be doing a better job at keeping us safe," Cochran said.
WDRB asked a spokesperson for Mayor Craig Greenberg's office for his response to citizens saying the city is not doing enough to keep residents safe from chemical plants in Rubbertown.
The spokesperson said "first and foremost we're extremely grateful that nobody was harmed as a result of today’s event and for the quick response of first responders to assess and handle the situation. This is exactly what they prepare and train so much for, and we know they respond with care and diligence for our community."
Since 2010, the plant has been cited by OSHA 16 times.
Wednesday’s explosion is yet another reminder for Cochran why she fights to keep her neighbors safe in their own backyards.
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