Washington. Two people were killed and more dead and injured were expected after a gas-fired power plant in the north- eastern US state of Connecticut exploded on Sunday, media reports said. The explosion occurred while there were about 100 people inside who were said to be testing some recently-completed upgrades to the facility, the Danbury News-Times reported online.
Dozens of ambulances and two medevac helicopters responded to the scene in the town of Middletown, about 150 kilometres north-east of New York City. An estimated 100 firefighters had brought the flames under control by 1:30 pm, the Hartford Courant reported.
Medical rescue personnel told the Courant that at least four of the 100 in the plant were critically injured, another four were injured, in addition to the two dead at the Kleen Energy Systems plant.
The company could not be reached for comment.
Middletown deputy fire marshal Al Santostefano told the Courant it was "possible that there might be people trapped in the rubble." Rescue crews were "in search and rescue mode" by 1 pm Sunday and were trying to see "if there are any survivors."
"There are bodies everywhere," a witness was quoted as saying.
The local television station WQAD said that the blast was so powerful that people felt it 20 kilometres away, many thinking that an earthquake had struck.
The facility appeared to be a gas-fired power plant belonging to the Kleen Energy Systems company. A large amount of gas was believed to be in storage at the site.
The site's main building was levelled by the explosion, early eyewitness reports said.
Television images from a distance showed black smoke rising from the site.
The Danbury News-Times cited one eyewitness as saying the blast created a "massive ball of fire 40 to 50 feet into the air."
State police fire and explosive investigators were looking into the cause of the fire.
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|2010-02-08 12:20:03 jcpalma - Update after ReutersFire officials said a natural gas leak caused the blast during testing at the Kleen Energy Systems LLC facility, which was 95 percent complete and due to come online this summer as the largest electricity generating plant in New England.
As many as 200 workers were at the site on any given day and the exact number of dead and injured would not be known until each contractor provided a list of employees, Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano told a press conference.
Search and rescue teams with dogs and several fire departments were still sifting through the rubble after the explosion and fire, Giuliano said.
Kleen Energy Systems is majority-owned by Energy Investors Funds Group, a private equity firm.
Witnesses said flames shot up and black smoke billowed out when the blast shattered the Sunday morning calm. Some people reported windows blown out and the force was felt as far away as East Haven, a distance of 30 miles.
"The whole house shook. I didn't know what it w...
Posted Mon Feb 8, 2010 6:09am AEDT
At least five people have been confirmed dead after a massive explosion rocked a gas power plant being built in the US state of Connecticut.
Local Mayor Sebastian Giuliano said at least five people had died and at least 12 more were injured after the blast at the Kleen Energy plant in Middletown.
Police say more people are missing after the explosion, which was reportedly caused by a ruptured gas pipeline.
Search and rescue teams with dogs and multiple fire departments are sifting through the rubble. More than 100 emergency units have rushed to the scene.
Locals say the blast was like an earthquake, with a shockwave that damaged nearby homes.
There are reports that it was felt up to 30 kilometres away and witnesses reporting seeing huge orange flames.
The power plant was still under construction and there are unconfirmed reports that workers were testing a gas line befor...