1 killed, 1 hurt in tanker explosion at Mooresville beverage plant

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — One person was killed, and another was hurt in a tanker explosion outside Carolina Beverage Group in Mooresville, officials said.

The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the explosion happened around 7 a.m. Tuesday at the plant on Barley Park Lane. That’s just off Mazeppa Road.

Officials say the tanker operator was killed in the explosion. Another worker at the plant, who was assisting the operator at the time of the blast, was seriously injured and transported to the hospital. Their condition is unknown at this time.

Emergency responders rush to the scene

Hazmat and fire crews quickly arrived on scene. They believe the chemical that caused the explosion is sodium hydroxide, which is used in cleaning supplies. They also determined the explosion caused a secondary leak on a stationary nitrogen tank. That leak has since been contained.

Officials say there is no current danger to the community, but they’re asking the public to avoid the area as cleanup efforts remain underway.

“It is a large-scale cleanup,” Mooresville Fire Chief Shane LaCount said.

Once mitigation is complete, LaCount said the investigation will be turned over to the National Transportation Safety Board. Representatives from the North Carolina division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will also be investigating.

What is sodium hydroxide?

Sodium hydroxide is commonly known as lye. It’s a very strong base that is highly caustic, which means it can cause chemical burns. It’s most commonly used to clean drains or as an industrial-grade cleaner.

When it’s exposed to water or certain metals, sodium hydroxide is highly reactive. Those reactions can generate intense hear and put off hydrogen gas. The gas is extremely flammable and can cause explosions.

Sodium Hydroxide is regulated under the Hazardous Chemicals Right to Know Act, meaning North Carolina law requires any employer that uses, stores or produces it needs to report it to the fire department and local emergency responders.

Cleaning up sodium hydroxide requires protective gear to prevent touching any skin. It needs to be neutralized by a weak acid and absorbed by sand or other nonreactive material.

About the company

Carolina Beverage Group packages a variety of nonalcoholic carbonated and noncarbonated drinks, including teals, energy drinks, spirits and wine.

The company packages those drinks into cans, ranging from eight to 24 ounces.

It’s a nationwide company. Its Mooresville plant is its flagship facility, dating back to the late 1990s. The company also has two distribution centers within a mile of the plant.

Channel 9 checked OSHA records for the company and found two violations regarding their machines — one from 2022 and one from 2023. Both were quickly addressed.

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

VIDEO: Emergency management officials speak out about deadly explosion at Mooresville beverage plant