Florida Gas Plant Explosion: No Fatalities After Massive Blasts
A large series of explosions rocked a gas plant about 40 miles north of Orlando late Monday, critically injuring two workers and forcing the evacuation of residents at least a mile away, authorities said.
Twenty-four people were working the night shift at Blue Rhino, a propane-tank business. Initially, 15 people were reported missing. But by 2 a.m. Tuesday, all employees had been accounted for, said Lt. John Herrell, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman. There were no reports of fatalities, he said.
The first explosions began a little before 11 p.m. Monday and lasted more than half an hour. They resumed about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday in tractor-trailers loaded with pallets of propane tanks, Tavares Fire Chief Richard Keith said.
Herrell said seven workers were transported to hospitals and two people drove themselves to the hospital. Two workers escaped unharmed, he said, and were talking with chaplains.
As of Monday, Herrell said, the plant had about 53,000 20-pound propane cylinders on site. There is “no indication whatsoever” how the fire or explosions started, he said at a news briefing.
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