Updates posted. Scroll down for the latest.
AN EXPLOSION AT A TRASH-TO-ENERGY GAS-FIRED POWER PLANT in Middletown, Connecticut, shook homes as far as 10 miles away Sunday morning. The blast occurred shortly after 11:30 am Eastern and early, unconfirmed reports say that as many as 100 people could be injured and they are expecting several fatalities.
WFSB-TV
Medical rescue personnel said 100 were injured, four critically, and two were dead. “There are bodies everywhere,” a witness said. Another witness said many victims may be buried in rubble
An hour after the explosion and what is believed to be the Kleen Energy Systems plant on River Road, emergency rescue personnel were continuing to arrive by vehicle and helicopter. Helicopters were airlifting victims to area hospitals.
There were as many as 20 ambulances at the plant.
Neighbors of the plant said as many as 100 employees may have been working there when the explosion took place. Confirmed information about damage and injuries from authorities was difficult to obtain.
A witness said the explosion took place during a test of the plant’s power generating systems.
WTNH-TV filed this early video report at 12:30 pm:
It is still early into the incident, so we will be updating as more information comes in. Check back for updates.
Rob Ladd at New London County Fire Photo has provided this location map by Bing
Listen to live fire radio traffic HERE.
Update, 3 pm:
At 2:30 it was announced that all fires are out.
The Middetown fire marshal says that one wall of the structure was blown out.
At least two workers have died.
There is a probability that several more workers are buried under the blast debris of metal, concrete, and steel. The Governor of Connecticut has approved the dispatch of the state USAR Team.
The workers were completing a “blow down” to clear natural gas from the lines when the explosion occurred.
WTNH-TV has this updated video report that runs for 10:26,
Update, 6 pm:
In a just-concluded press conference, Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano announced that there are five known fatalities and at least 12 injured workers. An active search is still underway for any other victims underneath the building parts that were blown apart. The search is partly complicated by the difficulty in learning how many people were working at the site when the blast occurred. There are manysub-contractors involved and the process of attaining valid rosters is time-consuming.
The power plant which is under construction, was 95% completed and scheduled to go online late this summer.
AP photo
