Two people are dead and nine others are missing after a powerful explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pennsylvania on Friday sent up a cloud of smoke and shook homes blocks away, officials said.
The explosion occurred around 5 p.m. and destroyed one building and damaged another at the RM Palmer Company, a chocolate factory located in West Reading, about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Police Chief Wayne Holben said at a conference. press.
The cause of the explosion is being investigated.
Reading Hospital received eight patients, spokeswoman Jessica Bezler said. She said one of the patients was transferred, two were admitted in good condition and the others were discharged.
The explosion sent a column of debris, flames and dust into the air, as shown in video that was captured by temperature cameras and shared on Twitter by a Fox 29 News reporter in Philadelphia.
“The explosion was so strong that it moved that building forward four feet,” Mayor Samantha Kaag, who is also a firefighter, said during a news conference after she went to the scene.
Police Chief Holben said there was no damage in the surrounding area but authorities urged people to avoid driving around the area.
He added that a command center had been set up to coordinate state and local agencies responding to the blast.
RM Palmer was founded in 1948, has 850 employees, and is known for making seasonal chocolates, including chocolate bunnies for Easter.
