Yazoo City (Mississippi): An explosion at a hydrogen and nitrogen products manufacturing facility in Mississippi on Wednesday led to an anhydrous ammonia leak, prompting evacuations of nearby residents, officials said.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves confirmed the incident on X, stating that emergency agencies from across the state had been deployed to the CF Industries plant located north of Yazoo City.
 

No injuries or fatalities have been reported so far.

“Thank you to all of Mississippi's first responders and emergency managers for quickly responding to the leak,” Reeves said.

CF Industries has not yet responded to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality said in a post on X that “air monitoring operations are underway and will continue as long as necessary to ensure public safety”.

Anhydrous ammonia, commonly used as a fertilizer to supply nitrogen to crops like corn and wheat, can cause severe burns if it comes into contact with the skin in gas or liquid form, according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

Yazoo City is a small community located approximately 79 km north of Jackson.