Dozens injured in cosmetic factory fire in New York

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Nov 21, 2017

Up to 35 people were injured in a cosmetic factory fire in New York on Monday, after two consecutive explosions went off inside the Hudson Valley-based building. The factory had recently been cited for safety violations.

Just under 30 people were injured on Monday inside the Verla International cosmetics factory in New Windsor after the first blast went off mid-morning, before seven firefighters were caught in a second blast while attending the scene, authorities said Monday.

Police said the first explosion occurred around 10:15 a.m before several firefighters, who responded to scene, were also hurt inside the building when the second explosion occurred around 10:40 a.m. Fire crews and hazardous materials teams were battling into late Monday afternoon, said local media.

While the cause of the blast is unclear, Verla was cited for nine occupational safety violations earlier this year, according to records on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's website. One was related to problems with the handling of flammable and combustible liquids.

For now, up to 35 people were being treated for injuries, including seven firefighters, most of them from the nearby city of Newburgh. Two of the firefighters were taken to the burn unit at Westchester Medical Center. None of the injuries appear to be life threatening. One employee remains unaccounted for.

Founded in 1980, Verla International is a private label manufacturer and contract packaging and filling company specialising in nail polish, offering some 40 different lines, as well as colour cosmetics, personal care, creams, lotions, fragrances and perfumes, according to its website.
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The company boasts five buildings on fifty acres in the Hudson Valley, about an hour's drive from New York City. Covering 250,000 square feet of manufacturing, warehouse, laboratory and office space, it remains unclear for now what areas of the business have been affected by the blast or the cost of the damage to inventory.

It remains unclear if any major cosmetic firms have also been affected by the cosmetic supplier's fire.