YAZOO CITY, MISSISSIPPI – An explosion at a chemical manufacturing plant north of Yazoo City, Mississippi, on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, resulted in a significant leak of anhydrous ammonia, prompting immediate mass evacuations and a large-scale emergency response.
The incident occurred at the CF Industries' plant, a hydrogen and nitrogen product manufacturer. Officials, including Gov. Tate Reeves, confirmed the leak was due to the explosion and activated state emergency protocols.
Emergency Response and Safety Measures
Gov. Reeves took to social media platform X to announce the state's active response and commend first responders. He urged residents near Renshaw Road and Generette Road to evacuate immediately, while advising others in the surrounding area to shelter in place.
CF Industries confirmed that all employees and contractors on site at the time of the explosion were safely accounted for, and no injuries or deaths have been reported among plant personnel or the public.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) initiated air monitoring operations, vowing to continue surveillance as long as necessary to ensure public safety. In the wake of the incident, the American Red Cross opened a reception center to support affected residents. Furthermore, the state’s Department of Transportation reported that lanes on U.S. Highway 49 were blocked in both directions due to the emergency.
Witness Account and Plant Details
The force of the blast was significant, with one local resident, Andre Robinson, who lives about a half-mile away, describing the sound as a "sonic boom" or a tree crashing on his house, which caused the structure to shake. He reported seeing a large plume of gray smoke rising from the facility, followed by an unusually strong smell of ammonia, prompting his family to evacuate to Jackson.
The CF Industries facility is a major manufacturer of ammonia, most often used as an agricultural fertilizer, supplying nitrogen for crops like corn and wheat. The Yazoo City plant has a gross annual capacity of 570,000 tons of ammonia and is capable of storing about 48,000 tons. Anhydrous ammonia is a hazardous substance that can cause severe burns upon contact in gas or liquid form.
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