Palm Bay neighbors frustrated after chemical release prompts evacuations, shelter-in-place order
Palm Bay neighbors frustrated after chemical release prompts evacuations
A chemical release at a Palm Bay facility prompted evacuations and a brief shelter-in-place order on Tuesday, alarming neighbors who say it is not the first time they have had concerns about the site.
PALM BAY, Fla. - A chemical release at a Palm Bay facility prompted evacuations and a brief shelter-in-place order Tuesday, alarming neighbors who say it is not the first time they have had concerns about the site.
Palm Bay police and fire rescue crews responded to the FAR Chemical facility on Commerce Court after officials said an unknown chemical was released from a container inside the building.
Businesses evacuated, residents told to shelter in place
What we know:
Nearby businesses were evacuated, and residents living within a few blocks were told to shelter indoors. The order was lifted around 6 p.m.
Officials said no one was injured and there was no ongoing health hazard. They also said safety measures inside the facility worked as intended.
What they're saying:
Neighbors said the incident added to long-standing concerns about the facility. Some said they have felt uneasy for years because of previous incidents and chemical odors in the area.
"I've been kind of uncomfortable for the last 10 years with it," one neighbor said.
Another resident said the neighborhood includes many families with children.
"A lot of children live on the street," the resident said. "It's not the first time I've smelled chemicals out here."
Residents said this was the third incident in about six years. In 2020, an explosion at the site sent a large plume of smoke into the sky. In September 2025, another chemical release created an orange vapor cloud that Brevard County Fire Rescue later said contained sodium cyanide and bromine.
The other side:
FOX 35 News reached out to FAR Chemical for comment but had not received a response at the time of this report.
The Source: The information is from the Palm Bay Police Department, the Palm Bay Fire Rescue and nearby residents.