(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-24 07:25

WASHINGTON - An explosion on Sunday afternoon in a meat packing plant in Arkansas, the United States, caused emergent evacuation of local residents and an unknown number of injuries.

According to local media, the explosion hit around 2 p.m. the Cargill Meat Solutions plant in Booneville, a town about 145 kilometers northwest of Little Rock.

Emergency management officials said that several homes near the plant were forced to evacuate due to the ammonia leak resulted from the explosion but it is still unknown how many people were injured in the incident.

Personnel from the local hazardous materials teams have departed to the scene to evaluate the impact on the environment.

Booneville is a town of more than 4,000 residents.