February 07, 2010

Middletown Explosion: At Least 100 Hurt, And "Confirmed Fatalities"

Terrible tragedy:

Via Hartford Courant

MIDDLETOWN - Witnesses and authorities said as many as 100 people may have been injured and two killed when a massive explosion, which homeowners more than 10 miles away mistook for an earthquake, blew up a power plant being built on the Connecticut River in the southern section of Middletown at about 11 a.m. Sunday.

Medical rescue personnel said four of the 100 were injured, four critically, and two were dead at the site of the Kleen Energy Systems plant on River Road.

"There are bodies everywhere," a witness said. Another witness said many victims may be buried in rubble.

Middletown deputy fire marshal Al Santostefano said at 1:15 p.m. there were "confirmed fatalities" but that he did not know who many. He said there were at least 50 construction workers on the site.

"It was a massive explosion" he said.

Santostefano said the explosion was related in some fashion to natural gas, but he did not know how.

All those affected by this are in my thoughts and prayers.

Dan Riehl has more

By Stable Hand at 01:15 PM | |