Workers injured by ‘explosion’ at paper plant in North Carolina, sheriff says

An “explosion” has been reported at a manufacturing plant in North Carolina, resulting in one person being briefly hospitalized, state officials said.

It happened just before 4 a.m. Tuesday at International Paper in Manson, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office said in a May 26 Facebook post. Manson is about a 50-mile drive northeast from downtown Raleigh.

“We can confirm an incident with a boiler in our Mason, N.C., box plant occurred in the early morning hours on Tuesday,” International Paper said in a statement sent to The Charlotte Observer. “Team members on site were quickly evacuated. Two people were treated on site for minor injuries.”

The Office of State Fire Marshall is leading an investigation into the cause of the “blast,” with assistance from the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation.

“We are coordinating with N.C. Emergency Management assets to determine the stability of the structure and address other safety concerns before a scene examination can be made,” the Office of State Fire Marshall told The Charlotte Observer.

“There was one subject who was transported to the hospital with minor injuries and has since been released.”

International Paper handles recycling and is “a world-leading producer of fiber-based products,” according to Internationalpaper.com.

“We create packaging solutions that protect and promote goods, enable worldwide commerce and help keep consumers safe,” the company reports. “And we deliver circular solutions that enable recycling, reduce waste and build a better future for our planet.”

This is a developing story.

This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Workers injured by ‘explosion’ at paper plant in North Carolina, sheriff says."