UPDATED 11:47PM With school closure list for Wednesday.

UPDATED 11:33PM With Kanawha County Emergency Management statement.

UPDATED 11:26 PM With shelter in place restricted area.

BELLE, WV (WOWK) – A shelter in place warning has been issued for residents in the Belle, WV area for a 2 mile radius around the Chemours chemical complex.

Emergency crews are on the scene of an explosion and fire at the Optima Chemical Plant on West Dupont Ave. in Belle. The plant is part of a larger piece of property known as the Chemours site which is owned by the Belle Chemical Company.

It’s the former DuPont chemical plant.

Just before 11:30pm the Kanawha County Emergency Management office issued the following statement:

“ At approximately 10:02 a Chemical Incident and explosion occurred at the Chemours Plant occurred.  At this time a shelter-in-place has been issued for a two-mile radius around the Plant.  This includes everyone between Chelyan Bridge to burning Springs and includes all of Belle, Marmet, Chesapeake and Chelyan.”

A number of schools in the Kanawha County School district, located in the restricted zone, have already cancelled classes for Wednesday, December 9th.

Those schools include: Belle Elementary School, Chesapeake Elementary School, Carver Career Center, Cedar Grove Middle School, East Bank Middle School, Cedar Grove Elementary school, Du Pont Middle School, Malden Elementary School, Mary Ingles Elementary school, Sharon Dawes Elementary School, Riverside High School, Marmet Elementary School, Midland Trail Elementary School, Pratt Elementary School. Additionally, all Riverside area schools will be closed.

Several nearby roads have been closed to traffic.

13 News has a crew on scene and will bring you the latest online and on social media as well as live reports on 13 News at 5:00am.