Pennsylvania Chocolate Factory Explosion Kills 7 by Easter | US News

powerful explosion pennsylvania A total of seven people have died as emergency workers recovered the last corpse at a chocolate factory known for making chocolate Easter bunnies, officials said.

The facility, 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia, was destroyed in a deadly blast just over two weeks before Easter. The cause of the explosion was under investigation on Saturday morning, but officials said they believed a gas leak may have been the cause. WPVI Report.

A video posted on social media shows the RM Palmer Company building in West Reading, Pennsylvania, detonating around 5 p.m. Friday.

Early Saturday morning, rescuers found a surviving but trapped factory worker, According to the Reading EagleWest Reading police chief Wayne Holben initially expressed hope of finding more survivors.

Rescuers used heavy equipment to clear debris and scanned the scene with thermal imaging equipment and sniffer dogs. Borough fire chief Chad Moyer said on Saturday night that the chances of finding survivors were “declining rapidly,” but local mayor Samantha Kaag said he wanted to get people’s answers. “I have hope,” he said.

On Sunday, however, more bodies were steadily being recovered.

West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag said: “Please understand that this is a devastating loss, but we are truly grateful to be able to bring closure to the families involved over the next few days.”

Several people were injured in the blast. Reading Hospital said it had received 10 patients, transferred two to other facilities, two of his others were each admitted in good condition, and the rest were discharged.

The history of the chocolate factory is full of disasters. several explosions occurred When the combustible starch powder used to mold candies and bonbon centers ignites.

Last month, confectionery company Mars Wrigley was fined more than $14,500 for a June accident at its M&M/Mars factory in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Two workers fell into the chocolate vat.

Emergency responders were able to cut a hole in the bottom of the tank to release the pair. According to reports.

According to RM Palmer’s website, the company has specialized in chocolates for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Christmas and Halloween since 1948. He is one of America’s largest and most innovative confectionery manufacturers. “ the website says.

Three buildings around the site have been denounced as a precautionary measure, Kaag said.

“This does not mean that they are scheduled to be demolished or made uninhabitable. It means we need to look into it.”

Associated Press and