An explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania left two people dead and several injured, and rescue crews were combing through debris on Saturday looking for five others that are still missing.
(Bloomberg) — An explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania left two people dead and several injured, and rescue crews were combing through debris on Saturday looking for five others that are still missing.
The number of victims from the blast at the R.M. Palmer Company plant in West Reading, about 62 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Philadelphia, was revised on Saturday by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). Earlier, authorities said five people were killed.
The explosion occurred around 5 p.m. ET on Friday, and the powerful blast leveled the building and damaged others nearby.
Video taken by Philadelphia news station NBC 10 shows crews and a sniffer dog sifting through the rubble. Residents of the Berks County borough told the news outlet that the explosion could be felt some six blocks away.
PEMA said that while initial incident reports from Berks County referenced a gas leak, an investigation will be conducted to determine the official cause of the blast.
Eight people were taken to Reading Hospital for treatment, Lehigh Valley News reported.
R.M. Palmer, which employs 850 people according to its website, said in a statement that everyone is “devastated by the tragic events at one of our West Reading facilities.”
“We are anxious to be in touch with all employees and the families of employees who have been impacted, but the company’s email, phones, and other communication systems are down, and therefore we are relying currently on first responders and disaster recovery organizations to provide any available information to impacted families,” the statement said.
West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag urged the public to avoid the area around the factory as emergency response workers continue recovery efforts.
“The tragic explosion at R.M. Palmer Company and loss of life has shaken our community,” Kaag said in a statement. “I hope the remaining victims are found safe, and that the community can continue to provide support to those affected by this tragedy.”
The R.M. Palmer Company has been making seasonal chocolate candies and novelties since 1948, according to its website.
(Updates with company statement)
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