A food manufacturing building in New Albany was evacuated Tuesday evening after more than a dozen people reportedly fell ill, with first responders rushing to the 500 block of Park East Boulevard to address what officials described as a possible chemical leak. The scene unfolded at Fearless Innovative Food Company, sending some workers to area hospitals while others were treated on site.
Scene Unfolds on Park East Boulevard
According to WLKY, first responders were called early Tuesday evening to the 500 block of Park East Boulevard, an address that houses Fearless Innovative Food Company. The outlet reported that a building in New Albany had been evacuated after several people reported feeling ill, though a separate WLKY search-result snippet put the number at more than a dozen people reportedly falling ill. WDRB similarly described fire crews responding to a potential chemical leak at the facility, located at 525 Park E. Blvd. #3, noting the building was formerly known as Kemper Foods.
The two outlets gave differing counts of how many people were affected. WLKY reported that 30 people were inside the building, six of whom were hospitalized while the rest were being checked out. WDRB's account differed, reporting that at least three people were sent to area hospitals while upwards of 35 or more were being treated at the scene. Neither figure has been reconciled, and it remains unclear how many people in total were examined or hospitalized.
Conflicting Accounts on the Cause
Kent Barrow, identified as the Floyd County Emergency Management Agency director, offered differing levels of certainty about what caused the illnesses depending on the outlet. WLKY reported that Barrow said he believed the issue was a carbon monoxide leak, while WDRB reported that Barrow confirmed the leak was carbon monoxide. The discrepancy between a stated belief and a confirmed finding has not been resolved in either report.
Beyond the conflicting characterizations of certainty, key details about the incident remain unknown. The reports do not establish the final cause of the illnesses, how long the evacuation lasted, whether the building has since been cleared for workers to return, or the specific symptoms and conditions of those who were treated. No statement from a fire department, health department or hospital accompanied either report.
A Food Plant With a Growing Footprint
Fearless Innovative Food Company describes itself on its own website as a family-driven food company with a state-of-the-art production facility based in New Albany, Indiana. The business was formerly known as Kemper Foods International before being renamed, according to Baking Business, which also reported that the company's recently expanded 69,000-square-foot facility houses two bakeries producing ready-to-eat foods.
The trade publication reported that 75 employees currently work at the facility across two shifts, with maintenance and sanitation crews operating five days a week. Separately, Burlington Capital has described the company as operating from a 42,500-square-foot facility in New Albany that holds USDA, FDA, Kosher and BRC AA certifications, and it announced a partnership with Fearless Innovative Food Company to support the acquisition and expansion of Kemper Foods International. The facility is also listed by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service at 525 Park East Blvd., Suite 3, in New Albany.
No follow-up information has been provided about the investigation into Tuesday's incident, the cleanup process, or whether operations at the plant have resumed.
