No Injuries Reported After Early Morning Incident At Grifols

CLAYTON, N.C. — A power outage followed by an unfamiliar odor inside a Grifols manufacturing building prompted a large emergency response early Monday, resulting in 13 employees being evaluated by Johnston County EMS.

Emergency crews were dispatched to the Grifols facility on U.S. Highway 70 Business at 1:11 a.m. after receiving a report of multiple sick persons.

Because of the number of potential patients, Johnston County Emergency Services sent multiple ambulances, an EMS battalion chief and an EMS district supervisor to the scene to coordinate patient evaluations, treatment resources and responder operations.

According to Johnston County Emergency Services, 13 individuals were evaluated by EMS personnel. All 13 declined transportation to a medical facility, and no one was taken to a hospital.

The Clayton Fire Department investigated the incident while emergency personnel assessed the scene.

In a statement provided to JoCo Report, Grifols said the incident occurred as the facility was recovering from a power outage caused by strong storms in the area.

“At approximately 1:00 this morning, our Clayton site was recovering from a power outage due to strong storms in the area,” a Grifols spokesperson said. “As power resumed, personnel reported a strong, unfamiliar odor in one of the buildings. Following our safety protocols, emergency responders were called.”

According to the company, the odor resulted from a temporary loss of pressure within the building’s air handling system.

“The building, which is normally pressurized to maintain aseptic conditions, lost pressure in the air handling system,” the spokesperson said. “As a result of the lost pressure, an unfamiliar odor arose. Once the building resumed normal operating pressure, the odor dissipated.”

Grifols said air monitoring conducted by company personnel and the Clayton Fire Department found no safety or environmental hazard.

“Onsite air monitoring and assessment by both Grifols and the local fire department determined that there was no safety or environmental risk,” the spokesperson said.

The company said no employees were harmed and operations resumed after the incident.

“We are grateful to our first responders for their prompt response this morning,” the spokesperson said. “All personnel at our Clayton site are well and site operations have resumed following a power outage at the site early this morning. No personnel were harmed or transported.”

Johnston County Emergency Services said the response demonstrated the importance of coordination between fire and EMS personnel when managing incidents involving multiple potential patients.

Grifols manufactures plasma-derived medicines at its Clayton campus.