Seven dead, ten injured after chocolate factory explodes

Robert Besser
29 Mar 2023, 05:19 GMT+10

An explosion occurred at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania, killing seven people, with ten in hospital
Hours after the blast at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant in the borough of West Reading, rescue crews using dogs and imaging equipment pulled one person from the rubble and continued the search
West Reading officials confirmed five fatalities, and county emergency crews indicated that five people were missing

WEST READING, Pennsylvania: An explosion occurred at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania, killing seven people and seeing ten staff members being hospitalized.

Hours after the blast at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant in the borough of West Reading, rescue crews using dogs and imaging equipment had pulled one person from the rubble while continuing the search.

West Reading officials confirmed seven fatalities, and county emergency crews indicated that ten others had been hospitalized.

Chief of Police Wayne Holben said the rescue of one person from the rubble "provides hope that others still may be found."

The blast destroyed one building and damaged a neighboring building, and its cause is still under investigation, he added.

At the site of the explosion, Mayor Samantha Kaag said, "It has pretty much leveled.the building in the front, with the church and the apartments. The explosion was so big that it moved that building four feet forward."

In a statement, R.M. Palmer said that the company was "devastated by the tragic events and focused on supporting our employees and their families."

While visiting the site over the weekend, Governor Josh Shapiro stressed that his office would provide "any and all commonwealth resources needed to support ongoing recovery efforts, in addition to the extensive assets that have already been deployed."

Frank Gonzalez, who was a witness to the explosion, said that his sister, Diana Cedeno, was working at the plant at the time of the blast and is among the missing.

"It is not good. It is just stressful waiting, not knowing," he said, according to the Associated Press.

Another witness, Doug Olexy who heard the blast from his house, said, "It sounded like a bomb went off. I mean, all of our houses shook. I have never heard as loud of an explosion in my life," as quoted by the Associated Press.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Australian Herald.

More Information

17 ℃

Mostly Cloudy in Sydney

International

Section

Mummified nun draws hundreds of visitors to rural Missouri town

GOWER, Missouri: Hundreds of people flocked to the small town of Gower, Missouri, to see a mummified nun, Sister Wilhelmina ...

Japan: PM's son resigns for holding party at official residence

TOKYO, Japan: After coming under public criticism for using Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's residence for a private party, his ...

Remains identified of US pilot from Pennsylvania killed during WWII

WASHINGTON D.C.: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has announced that 2nd Lt. James Litherland of South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, an Army ...

ACC sues Dr. Yunus, 12 others over embezzlement of $2,351,758

DHAKA, Bangladesh - The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against 13 members of Grameen Telecom's board of directors, ...

Washington coordinates 14-country supply chain agreement

WASHINGTON D.C.: The U.S. Commerce Department has said that trade ministers from 14 countries have taken part in the US-led ...

Injuries at Churchill Downs sees 12 horses dead in month

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky: Two horses that succumbed to their injuries at Churchill Downs have become the 11th and 12th fatalities over ...

Sydney

Section