Two people were killed, and five are missing after a chocolate factory exploded in West Reading, Pennsylvania, on Friday.
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The explosion occurred just before 5 p.m. Friday at the R.M. Palmer Co. Plant, and officials said they only confirmed the two deaths, and one person was pulled from the rubble overnight. According to Yahoo! News, Chief of Police Wayne Holben stated the rescue gave hope that others would be found. He added that the blast destroyed one building and damaged a neighboring building, but the explosion’s cause is currently unknown.
JUST IN: Massive explosion, MULTIPLE PEOPLE TRAPPED at chocolate factory in West Reading, Pennsylvania..
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) March 24, 2023
Rescue workers are using special equipment and techniques to search for more people. Dogs are also used to look for signs of life during the removal of debris. A spokesperson from UGI Utilities said crews were brought to the scene after damage from the blast led to a release of gas that was added to the fire. “We did not receive any calls regarding a gas leak or gas order prior to the incident, but we are cooperating with the investigation, and part of that will be to check all our facilities in the vicinity,” spokesperson Joseph Swope explained.
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Mayor Samantha Kaang said in a statement that the building was level before the explosion.
“The building in the front, with the church and the apartments, the explosion was so big that it moved that building four feet forward.”
Kaang also stated people were asked to move a block away from the site, but no evacuation orders existed. However, some tenants from the damaged apartment building were displaced. The R.M. Palmer Co. Plant was built between the late 1950s to early 1960s. West Reading council Philip Wert said officials had blueprints of the building to understand better the layout and “the mechanicals and the utilities, where things are.”
“The silver lining in all this is someone was found alive, someone was found alive that was in rubble, not knowing whether they were going to live or die, and fortunately we found that person and they’ve got a second chance, and hopefully fingers crossed we’re going to find more,”
I’m with Mayor @SamanthaKaag in West Reading for an update on the RM Palmer factory explosion — and to pledge our support as the community recovers. pic.twitter.com/fIbwUb0qoD
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) March 25, 2023
Lori and I thank the first responders, @PEMA, and @PSP teams on the scene.
Our hearts break for the families of those who didn’t come home. pic.twitter.com/mgMAEYwrSU
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) March 25, 2023
The R.M. Palmer company website said ithas been making chocolate goods since 1948 and had 850 employees at its local headquarters.