x
Breaking News
More () »

People begin moving out of homes damaged by Givaudan factory explosion

Brian Craig showed us what the plant explosion did to his Clifton home of 17 years -- a fourplex right beside the factory that's now uninhabitable.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville residents impacted by the Givaudan factory explosion are still working to recoup their losses and trying to figure out when they may be able to move back into homes.

They're the questions Hannah Nitzken and her husband Dan, who live on Waverly Court, asked Givaudan representatives on Friday -- the company's third day of in-person office hours offered to neighbors.

"The remediation company that the insurance brought out said it could be a matter of days or months – they’re just not sure. Fingers crossed," Nitzken told WHAS11 on Friday.

Nitzken lives some 300 feet from the site of the blast that killed two plant workers.

"I felt and heard and saw this massive plume of yellow smoke and debris go hundreds of feet in the air right outside my window," she said.

Meanwhile, tenants who lost their homes are packing up and moving out.

Brian Craig showed WHAS11 what the plant explosion did to his Clifton home of 17 years -- a fourplex right beside the factory that's now uninhabitable.

“You can generally tell there was a concussion from that blast," he said. "Neighbors should have been able to have confidence in the factory right behind us, and here we are.”

On Friday, WHAS11 saw an insurance adjuster show up on Payne Street to assess damages.

Days ago, Craig attended one of Givaudan’s office-hour sessions for those impacted.

“How much it’s going to cost to get an apartment, pay the first month’s rent, security deposit – I don’t know exactly when they’re going to give me compensation for that," he said. “But again, they seem like they were more than happy to get these things done.”

Overall, several residents told WHAS11 they appreciated being able to meet with Givaudan officials one-on-one, and receive hundreds of dollars worth of gift cards to cover immediate costs.

Residents have already presented a petition to Metro Council, with hundreds of signatures from people wanting Givaudan to move locations when they rebuild.

In a public meeting Monday, the company said it was looking at alternate locations in Louisville to move the plant. 

The final mobile office hours are scheduled for Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at United Crescent Hill Ministries in the Clifton neighborhood.

Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.

Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or X feed.

Before You Leave, Check This Out