7 dead after West Reading candy factory explosion
WEST READING, Pa. (CBS) -- The death toll now stands at seven after crews discovered two more people Sunday at the R.M. Palmer Company factory site in West Reading following an explosion.
Officials say there are no more missing people.
Earlier on Sunday morning, first responders working at the scene at 55 S. 2nd Avenue in West Reading found a fourth and fifth person who were dead.
"Crews are continuing their diligent effort in sifting through the debris in order to locate any additional individuals," West Reading police chief Wayne Holben said.
First responders worked with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, special equipment, and dogs to find anyone who was trapped.
"Due to the violence of the explosion and the amount of time that has passed, the chance of finding survivors is decreasing rapidly," Fire chief Chad Moyer said.
Employees at the nearby restaurant American Diner were working Friday at around 5 p.m. when they heard the explosion.
"All of a sudden the entire building shook," server Ray Hernandez Jr. said.
"All my customers said they heard it and all the workers that were here heard it," American Diner floor manager Jean Long said.
Long lives just a block away from the scene.
"My street was all filled with UGI trucks and ambulances and the fire engines because they're working on this all night," Long said.
Officials have not confirmed what caused the explosion, but a spokesperson for UGI Utilities says there were no reports of a gas leak in the week before the explosion.
Those in the community say they'll be coming together for the impacted families.
"Once the news gets out of who's missing and who's gone, unfortunately, a lot of people will come together even if they don't know the person," Hernandez said. "They might know someone affected by it and they won't have them deal with it alone."
At this point, authorities have not identified any of the seven victims. A total of 10 people were hospitalized after being injured in the blast.
Six have been released.
