Two young girls and man presumed dead in Nebraska plant explosion, officials say
The incident occurred around noon at the Horizon Biofuels plant in Fremont, about 47 miles northwest of Omaha. The victims were inside the building at the time of the blast, the city's Mayor, Joey Spellerberg, said.
Flames prevented fire crews from immediately accessing the structure, which stored wood and alcohol-based products. The company makes animal bedding, heating pellets and smoking pellets, according to its Facebook profile.
The building fire continued into the next day, and a rescue operation for the victims had turned into a recovery mission, Spellerberg said during a press briefing July 30.
'My heart hurts,' he said. 'It hurts for this situation. It's a tragedy. We pray for all the families involved."
The children, who were under the age of 12, were at the facility waiting for the man to get off work to go to a doctor's appointment, Spellerberg said.
The three victims were family members, according to reports citing extended family and authorities.
About 10 people were employed at the plant at the time of the incident, Spellerberg said. USA TODAY has reached out to Horizon Biofuels for comment.
The explosion blew the roof off the plant's tall tower and caused nearby homes to shake.
Video: Drone footage shows aftermath of tsunami in Russia following earthquake
An infant was found abandoned. Then, police discovered 4 people dead.
Ashley Engler, a program manager with Nebraska's Task Force One, said the lightweight steel warehouse structure and a concrete elevator structure were making the facility difficult to access.
'We are using all search and rescue resources and capabilities we have, including structural engineers to obtain access in a safe manner to get to these victims,' said Engler.
Spellerberg said there is no threat to nearby structures or risk of a possible chemical leak. Fremont is the sixth-largest city in Nebraska and is home to approximately 27,000 people.
In 2012, the company was cited after allegedly violating OSHA standards and paid a $6,000 settlement, according to KETV. The building had a fire in 2014, according to the Fremont Tribune, which left the electrical system damaged, but the structure remained intact.
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