Probe Underway Into Fatal Blasts, Fire At New Windsor Cosmetics Factory
NEW WINDSOR, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- State and local authorities are trying to determine what triggered explosions and a fire at a cosmetics factory in the Hudson Valley that killed a male employee and injured dozens of other people.
The blasts occurred about 25 minutes apart Monday morning at Verla International in the Orange County town of New Windsor.
Authorities initially said one employee was killed and up to 35 people, including seven firefighters, were injured. A spokeswoman for St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital said Tuesday that the number of people treated increased substantially later Monday, with more than 125 reporting injuries. Officials say most were treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released.
It took several hours for more than 100 firefighters to douse the flames started by the explosions.
Seven firefighters from the city of Newburgh were among the injured when they were caught in the second explosion after responding to the first blast.
"They attempted an interior attack and were pushed back by the explosions and the heavy amount of smoke and fire," Orange County Fire Commissioner Vini Tankalisi said.
State health and environmental conservation specialists have been dispatched to the scene to monitor air and water quality in the area around the 52,000 square-foot plant, which includes a manufacturing operation and warehouse.
The company makes cosmetics, perfume and nail polish.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)