At Lest 50 Died in US Power Plant Explosion

As helicopters, ambulances and fire trucks rushed to the scene and a massive search and rescue operation was launched, officials were reluctant to say how many might have died, but a large number of fatalities was feared.

"The reports vary from a few, several to possibly as many as 50 dead," told Brian Albert from the Middlesex hospital, which was treating several of those injured in the blast at the Kleen Enery plant.

"They are in the process of search and rescue," Albert said, adding that the Middlesex was treating six patients and a seventh had been transferred to the nearby Hartford hospital, which confirmed it was also handling injured.

 

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board is mobilizing an investigation team from Colorado and hopes to have the workers on the scene Monday, spokesman Daniel Horowitz said.

Safety board investigators have done extensive work on the issue of gas line purging since an explosion last year at a factory in North Carolina killed four people.

Just last week, the board voted to recommend that national and international code writers strengthen their guidelines to require outdoor venting of gas lines or an approved safety plan to do it indoors.