Cary Fire Protection District Lieutenant Andy Veath would not comment on a possible cause of the explosions and fire, saying the investigation will continue on Thursday.



"There are a variety of different raw materials involved in that process (making paint), some of which are flammable," Veath said. "But at this point, we have no idea what caused this to happen."



Veath said two of the three employees injured in the fire were transported to Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, and one was flown by helicopter from Good Shepherd to a burn center. There were no injuries to firefighters, he noted.



"We are just grateful, the injuries could have been worse," Veath said. "We are grateful that didn't happen."



Brett Coleman, owner of Coleman's Restaurant & Catering, directly across the street from the site of the fire, said firefighters asked him to evacuate his business at about 1:15 p.m. He returned some time after 5 p.m.



"There was more emergency equipment here that I knew existed in the whole county," Coleman said.



"It blew the whole front wall out," Coleman said of the initial explosion. "It was blown out and there was black smoke and the smell of burning plastic and rubber. … I heard the explosions and several smaller booms."