All are expected to survive. Verla, which produces nail polish and cosmetics, among other beauty products, according to its website, could not be reached for comment.
By mid-morning, dozens of fire and other emergency vehicles had converged on the scene of the five-alarm blaze, which one local fire department volunteer described to The Associated Press as a "chemical fire."
Witnesses described an acrid smell of burning chemicals wafting down the street. A shelter-in-place order was issued for a half-mile radius around the building for much of the day. Environmental officials were also on scene., and authorities said at an afternoon briefing they weren't sure of the full suite of chemicals that may have been in the plant when it exploded. Officials said they believed the air was safe to breathe and that drinking water wasn't affected.
A cause of the blasts is under investigation. Records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration indicate the plant was hit with nine violations earlier this year related to exit maintenance and the use of flammable liquids, among other issues. Of those violations, six were classified as "serious."
One Facebook user said his office is across the street from the plant. He wrote in a post that people were seen "running scattering" in the street after Monday's blasts. The road was closed to traffic to assist with the emergency response.
Another video showed intense orange flames leaping from the roof of the building as firefighters battled the blaze from trucks and on foot. New York State Police also responded. A town supervisor, George Green, said the facility was fully engulfed by fire at one point.
The flames appeared to be mostly contained after about an hour, as photos from the scene showed the stark black smoke that spewed into the air earlier had faded to an ominous gray haze that seemed to shroud the entire skyline.
The factory, which employs more than 100 people, is about a half mile from the town hall and police station in New Windsor, 55 miles north of New York City.Medical personnel praised the quick action of emergency crews, saying it could have been catastrophic had they not responded with such efficiency.
According to Verla's website, "We specialize in all facets of beauty and bath products for the mass market, specialty retail chains, and department stores, direct sales, professional beauty, TV, electronic retailers and boutiques. The product ranges from pre-teen, teen and budget lines to the most prestigious."
